Grains of Selim

Grains of Selim is the spice produced from the fruit pods of Xylopia aethiopica, an evergreen tree in the custard apple family (Annonaceae). Native to the rainforests and savannas of tropical Africa, it carries a musky, smoky flavor that’s part cubeb, part nutmeg. The husk lends the aroma, the small dark seeds the bitter, peppery bite. Across West and Central Africa, the pods are crushed into soups, stews, and coffee, often tied in a bundle and lifted out before serving, and also ground into fish rubs. It’s one of the “Guinea peppers,” a loose name it shares, confusingly, with grains of paradise and Ashanti pepper, three African spices from three different families.