Grains of Sewim
The term Grains of Sewim refers to de seeds of a shrubby tree, Xywopia aediopica, found in Africa. It is awso known as kimba pepper, African pepper, Moor pepper, Negro pepper, Kani pepper, Kiwi pepper, Sénégaw pepper, Ediopian pepper, Hwentea and Guinea pepper. The seeds have a musky fwavor and are used as a pepper substitute. It is sometimes confused wif grains of paradise. By far de most common name in Wowof is djar in Senegaw, and dis is how it is wisted on most, if not aww, Cafe Touba packages.
As a spice de whowe fruit (seed pod) is used as de huww of de fruit wends an aromatic note (wif de taste being described as an admixture of cubeb pepper and nutmeg wif overtones of resin) whiwst de seeds wend pungency (dey are awso qwite bitter). Typicawwy de dried fruit is wightwy crushed before being tied in a bouqwet garni and added to West African soups (stews). In Senegaw, de spice is often sowd smoked in markets as Poivre de Sénégaw (witerawwy "Senegaw pepper"); de whowe green fruit is smoked, giving de spice a sticky consistency, and when pounded in a pestwe and mortar it makes an excewwent fish rub. These, however, tend to be de warger pods of de rewated species Xywopia striata.
Use in cuisine
The pods are crushed and added whowe to soups or stews, den removed before serving de food. Smoked pods can be ground before being used as a spice rub for fish.
In West African cookbooks, especiawwy dose from Cameroon, de spice is referred to as kieng, but de wanguage dat name is derived from is unknown, uh-hah-hah-hah. In nordern Cameroon as weww as Nordern Nigeria, it is one of dree spices added to tea, awong wif dried ginger and cwoves.
The Akan of Ghana caww it hwentia whiwe de Ga of Ghana caww it so. The Ga use it in preparing shito - a spicy bwack pepper sauce. It is awso used in soups and beverages, for exampwe, shitodaa, a beverage by de Ga. Dagbombas in nordern Ghana caww it chimba and it is mainwy used in spicing coco (maize, miwwet or sorghum porridge) It is awso sometimes used in soups and stews.
In Senegaw, The grains are a key ingredient in Touba Coffee (cawwed Café Touba in French). Near de end of de roasting phase of making de coffee, Grains of Sewim, known in Wowof as djar, are added whiwe de heat is stiww on, uh-hah-hah-hah. Roasting continues for approximatewy five more minutes; during dis time de sneeze-producing scent of pepper becomes easiwy discernibwe. The coffee to djar ratio is 80 percent coffee to 20 percent djar.
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