Pod spice

Uda

Grains of Selim

Xylopia aethiopica

Uda is the Nigerian spice commonly called grains of Selim: a dried Xylopia aethiopica fruit with a smoky, peppery aroma for pepper soup and broths.

Editorially reviewed

Historical Xylopia aethiopica spice study / Bibliothèque nationale de France via Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Ingredient record

Names & identity

Names can vary by language, market and region. Only reviewed names are displayed here.

Nigerian/common name	Uda
English/common name	Grains of Selim
Botanical name	Xylopia aethiopica
IgboSouth-eastern Nigeria	UdaName and botanical pairing supported by Nigerian university food-science sources.
Also known as	Ethiopian pepper, Negro pepper

What is Uda?

Uda is the dried aromatic fruit of Xylopia aethiopica. In English-language food writing it is commonly called grains of Selim; Ethiopian pepper and Negro pepper also appear as market names. The long, narrow fruit is used in broths and pepper-soup preparations and is different from uziza.

What is Uda called in English?

The clearest English/common name is grains of Selim. Ethiopian pepper and Negro pepper may also appear in shops and references, but the botanical name Xylopia aethiopica gives the most reliable identity.

Flavour & identification

What does it taste like?

Smoky, peppery and slightly bitter

Aroma

Woody and resinous

What does it look like?

Whole uda is usually sold as a slender, dark brown to black pod with visible constrictions around the seeds. The dried fruit is woody rather than soft like a fresh chilli.

Using Uda in Nigerian cooking

How is it used?

Use whole in broths and remove before serving, or grind in measured amounts.

Which dishes use it?

Pepper soup
Aromatic meat and fish broths
Regional soup spice blends

How do you prepare it?

Use the pod whole and remove it after simmering, or break it and grind it with other aromatics. A brief dry toast can intensify the aroma, but avoid scorching it.

How much should you use?

Start with one small pod in a medium pot of broth, then adjust. Size, age and strength vary, so one fixed measurement is not universal.

Whole vs ground

Whole pods keep their aroma longer and are easier to remove from a broth. Ground uda disperses quickly and should be added in smaller amounts.

Buying, storing & substituting

How to store it

Keep whole pods dry and airtight.

Possible substitutes

There is no exact substitute. A small amount of a smoky, peppery spice can replace part of the effect, but it will not reproduce uda's woody aroma.

Supporting research

Ingredient research

Preclinical or nutritional evidence only

Studies of Xylopia aethiopica report nutrient and phytochemical composition, and laboratory or animal experiments have explored antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. These designs cannot establish a health benefit in people from normal culinary use. Human trials and clearer dose and safety data are still needed.

Not medical advice. Traditional use is not the same as clinical evidence. This ingredient is not presented as a treatment, cure or way to prevent disease.

How we assess ingredient research →

Sources & further reading

Reviewed by Nigerian Spices editorial desk, 22 September 2026.

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Related & compared

Related ingredients

Pepper Soup Spice

Commonly confused with

Grains of Paradise

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