Food profile: Uziza seeds “Piper guineese”(mkpuru uziza, Ashanti pepper)

Uziza pepper also known as Ashanti pepper, benin pepper, false cubeb e.t.c is a common spice used in Nigerian dishes. It’s hot, bitter, aromatic and has so many medicinal uses. The leaves are known as uziza leaves and are used in soups. The pepper is used in Nigerian soups where it gives it a “hot” and pungent aroma. It’s quite expensive and therefore used sparingly. Most of the time, its added to pepper soups and given to women after child birth to cleanse the womb. Click here for more