Igbo Spices

The Igbo — or Ibo — is an ethnic group in Southern Nigeria. As the land is quite arid and the temperatures hot, the Igbo rely on spices to preserve and tenderize food, as well as to add variety. Igbo spices include peppers, seeds and bark from trees.

Peppers and Aromatics

Igbo cuisine uses a variety of peppers, including dried black pepper and alligator pepper. There are many varieties of black pepper, including uda, uziza and ehuru, all of which add varying levels of heat.

Alligator pepper, also called the grain of paradise, is widely used because it adds not only heat, but also a nutty richness and a citrus scent. Local onions, such as ushakirisha and obulumgbede, are eaten raw or stewed. Ukpai, a tree bark, is used in stews and soups for the onion flavor it imparts when boiled.

Seeds and Oils

Other ingredients add further richness to traditional Igbo food. The Igbo mix seeds, such as melon seeds, velvet beans and pumpkin seed, with more flavorful spices, such as pepper and onion, to create well-rounded spice blends.

Ground seeds not only add richness and depth to a dish, they often act as a thickening agent for stews. Coconut oil and milk add extra flavor, and palm oil and peanut oil are the two most common types of oil used.

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