| Basil |
The name Basil comes from the Greek word for King and was thought
of as the Herb of Kings. Like other members of the mint family,
basil has been used medicinally for digestive troubles. It has a
mild, aromatic odor and a warm, sweet flavor with a slight licorice
taste.
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| Bay Leaf |
(Laurel Leaf, Bay Laurel, Laurier) Aromatic herb from the evergreen
Bay Laurel Tree, native to the Mediterranean. Bay leaves are used
to flavor soups, stews, vegetables and meats, especially in Western
Africa.
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| Black Pepper |
(Piper nigrum), native to Asia, introduced to Africa sometime in
the first millennium AD. Before Asian pepper was introduced to Africa,
Africans had Grains of Paradise, also called Melegueta Pepper, Atare,
or Guinea Pepper. (Aframomum melegueta) which is native to West
Africa. In the 1300 and 1400's, before Europeans knew of America
or the sea-route to Asia, Grains of Paradise were imported from
Africa to Europe. The African coastline in the present-day Liberia
was known to Europeans as the "Grain Coast", named for
the trade. (Just as Ghana was the "Gold Coast", and part
of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin were the "Slave Coast". The
name "Ivory Coast" still survives, though the elephants
are rarer today.) Presumably Grains of Paradise were used in Africa
the same way black or red pepper is used today: as a seasoning in
sauces, soups, stews and on roasted meat. In Europe, Grains of Paradise
were used as a substitute for the more expensive black pepper. They
were also used in beer and spiced wines. Grains of Paradise are
mentioned in some European cookbooks of the 14th and 15th century.
As Black Pepper became more common, demand for Grains of Paradise
declined and today the spice is nearly forgotten in Europe and in
most of Africa as well.
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| Cardamom |
(Cardamon) spice, the whole or ground dried fruit of Elettaria cardamomum,
a plant of the ginger family, indigenous to India and Sri Lanka.
Used in curries and spiced tea.
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| Chile
Pepper |
Fruits of the Chile Pepper (various species of the Capsicum family,
native to the American tropics), used fresh or dried and ground
to make Cayenne pepper or Red Pepper. They arrived in Africa around
1500 AD, soon after Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World.
Hot peppers are used throughout Africa, in sauces, soups, and stews
and as a condiment. In Africa, the most commonly used chile pepper
may be what is called the "bird pepper", so named because
wild birds eat its fruit and spread its seeds.
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| Cinnamon |
Spice made from the bark of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum, native to
Sri Lanka and nearby India. It has been used since ancient times.
It is mentioned in the Bible as an ingredient in sacred anointing
oil and as a perfume, and was used in Egyptian embalming.
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| Cloves |
Flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, indigenous to the Moluccas, or
Spice Islands, of Indonesia, used as a spice since ancient times.
In the 1600s Dutch-colonized Indonesia had a monopoly on clove production.
Since then, Zanzibar (Tanzania) has become an important producer.
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| Coriander |
Spice, made from the seed of Coriandrum sativum a relative of the
parsley family, native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia. Coriander
seeds are mentioned in early Sanskrit writings and have been discovered
in ancient Egyptian tombs. In ancient Rome it was baked in bread.
The leaves of Coriandrum sativum are called cilantro (at least in
English) and are also used as a spice. The flavors of the seeds
and leaves are completely different.
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| Cumin |
Comino) Spice used since ancient times. Cumin is the dried fruit
of a plant in the parsley family (Apiaceae umbelliferae). A native
plant of the Mediterranean region, Cumin is common in Asian, Mediterranean,
and Middle Eastern cuisine. In India, Cumin is used in most curries,
and in the United States it is an ingredient in chili powders.
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| Curry Powder |
Curry powder is a blend of a dozen or more spices, herbs and seeds.
Most curry powders include some combination of cardamom, cinnamon,
cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg,
red or black pepper, tamarind and turmeric. Curry dishes are common
in Eastern Africa, where there is a large West Asian population
and a long history of trade across the Indian Ocean. Curry came
to Western Africa, particularly Nigeria, during the age of British
colonialism. British colonial officials who worked in India often
acquired a taste for curry that they took with them when they were
transferred to Africa.
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| Egusi |
(Agusi, Agushi, Egushi, etc.) Flour ground from seeds of (various?)
species of Cucurbitaceae (the plant family that includes gourds,
melons, pumpkins, and squashes, many of which are native to Africa).
In Western Africa, the plants and seeds, as well as soups and stews
made with them, are all called Egusi, and this is the name most
commonly used outside of Africa. In Central Africa's Congo River
region, Egusi is called Mbika. Egusi not only serve to thicken soups
and stews, but also add flavor and protein
|
| Garam Masala |
Garam (hot) Masala (mix) various blends of ground spices, usually
including black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, cardamon,
chile powder, etc. Garam masala is often sprinkled over a dish just
before serving.
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| Garlic |
(Allium sativum), plant of the lily family, indigenous to central
Asia, cultivated all over the world for its bulbs which are used
as a flavoring. Garlic was known in ancient Egypt; evidently favored
by the pyramid builders and mentioned in the Bible. Garlic has been
a used in Europe since the time of ancient Rome. Garlic spread to
sub-Saharan Africa in the time of the Portuguese navigation around
Africa.
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| Ginger |
(Grains of Paradise, Melegueta Pepper, Atare, Aframomum melegueta)
pepper-like spice made from the seed of a plant native to Africa,
used in African cooking as a seasoning in sauces, soups, stews and
on roasted meat before the arrival of Asian black pepper (Piper
nigrum) Asia and American red pepper Capsicum. Guinea Pepper, usually
called Grains of Paradise, were exported from Africa to Europe.
The African coastline in and near the present-day Liberia was known
to Europeans as the "Grain Coast" or "Pepper Coast",
named for the trade. In Europe, Grains of Paradise were used as
a substitute for the more expensive black pepper. They were also
used in beer and spiced wines. Grains of Paradise are mentioned
in some European cookbooks of the 14th and 15th centuries. As trade
with Asia increased, Black Pepper became more available, and demand
for Grains of Paradise declined. Today the spice is nearly forgotten
in Europe and in most of Africa as well.
|
| Nutmeg |
Spice made from the seed of the Myristica fragrans, a tropical evergreen
tree native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia. It
is used in baked goods, sausages, sauces, and is well known for
as a topping for eggnog.
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| Turmeric |
Native to Asia, cultivated since ancient times, turmeric is the
root of Curcuma longa, a tropical plant related to Ginger. Noted
for its intense yellow-orange color. It has been used a cosmetic,
perfume, and textile dye. It is very popular in Indian cooking and
is always included in curry powders. In the United States it is
used in prepared mustard. Most commonly seen in Eastern Africa in
Indian or Middle-Eastern style dishes.
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