Aromatic Fruit
Pepper Fruit
A named Nigerian aromatic fruit included for source-led documentation of its culinary identity and regional uses.
Explore Pepper FruitA structured Nigerian flavour reference
The Nigerian Spice Index A–Z
Explore 76 ingredients and seasonings
The Nigerian Spice Index documents the spices, herbs, peppers, leaves, fermented seasonings, flavouring ingredients and blends used across Nigerian cooking.
36 ingredient records
Alphabetical by default
Aromatic Herb
Scent Leaf
Aromatic • Herbal · Mild heat
A highly aromatic leaf used fresh in soups, sauces and pepper dishes.
Also known as: Nchuanwu
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Fresh Pepper
Shombo
Long red pepper; cayenne-type pepper
Peppery · Medium to hot heat
Shombo is a long Nigerian red pepper, often compared with cayenne-type pepper, used for red-chilli flavour and variable heat in pepper bases.
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Fruit
Tamarind
Fruity • Tangy
A tangy fruit ingredient used to add sourness and depth to drinks, sauces and dishes.
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Fresh Pepper
Tatashe
Sweet red pepper
Mild • Sweet · Mild heat
Tatashe pepper is a large, mild red pepper commonly called red bell pepper or sweet red pepper, used for colour and body in Nigerian jollof and stew bases.
Also known as: Tatashe
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Pod spice
Uda
Grains of Selim
Peppery • Smoky · Mild heat
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.
Also known as: Uda
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Soup Thickener
Ukpo
A processed Nigerian soup thickener commonly identified in food-science studies as Mucuna sloanei seed flour.
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Aromatic
Umilo
A named regional aromatic retained for structured research and future verification.
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Leaf
Utazi
Bitter • Herbal · Mild heat
A distinctive bitter leaf used to sharpen rich soups, sauces and garnishes.
Also known as: Utazi
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Aromatic Fruit
Uyayak
Aidan fruit
Aromatic • Warming
An aromatic dried fruit used to perfume broths and regional soups.
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Aromatic Leaf
Uziza Leaf
Piper guineense leaf
Herbal • Peppery · Medium heat
Uziza leaf is Piper guineense leaf, a peppery West African soup leaf. Learn its English name, flavour, appearance, uses and substitutes.
Also known as: Uziza
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Seed spice
Uziza Seed
West African pepper
Earthy • Peppery · Medium heat
A peppery seed spice used in soups and seasoning blends.
Also known as: Uziza, Iyere
Explore Uziza SeedNew to Nigerian ingredients? The editorial guide explains peppers, leaves, fermented seasonings and traditional blends.
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