The secret behind the increase in Pepper soup consumption is the nature of the spices used in making the dish. Welcome to Chefsbase. On this page, you will learn about pepper soup spices and how to make good use of them.

If you have ever eaten an African pepper soup, you might be wondering what gives it its unique and earthy flavour. I will show you how to make pepper soup spice from scratch using traditional African spices, and also how to make it using everyday spices from your local grocery store.

African pepper soup dishes are prepared with a blend of complex and unique spices. These spices are often found in the West African region and used in a variety of ethnic soups, like this goat meat pepper soup.

Traditional Spices Used in Making African Pepper Soup Spice

The spices are:

1. Alligator Pepper

This is also referred to as Grains of Paradise, Guinea pepper, and Melegueta pepper. In Nigeria, this spice is also called Atare, Atariko or Ulima seeds.

Alligator pepper has a nutty, woody flavour with a hint of citrus. It has a nice peppery taste without any harsh after-burn. It also makes a nice substitute for black pepper for those who don’t like the taste or are allergic to it.

2. Selim Pepper

This is also called Grains of Selim, Ethiopian pepper, Senegal pepper, Negro pepper, Kani pepper or Uda seed. This pepper has a musky flavour of smoked herbs with a hint of bitter cocoa. It is similar in flavour to peppercorns.

3. Calabash Nutmeg

This is also called Jamaican nutmeg, African nutmeg, and Muscadier de Calabash. In Nigeria, it is known as Ehuru, Ariwo or Ehiri, depending on what tribe you’re from.

This spice is very similar to nutmeg and is grown in West Africa and also in the Caribbean islands.

The spices explained above are not the only ones that can be used in preparing pepper soup. There are other good ones, feel free to scout for them and make effective use of them.