Grains of Paradise

is a species in the ginger family,Zingiberaceae. Thisspice, commonly known asossame,grains of paradise,Melegueta pepper,alligator pepper,Guinea grains,, orGuinea pepper, is obtained from the ground seeds; it imparts a pungent,pepperyflavour with hints of citrus.
Although it is native toWest Africa, it is also an importantcash cropin the Basketo district (Basketo special woreda) of southernEthiopia.
portant; float: none;">Melegueta pepper is commonly used in the cuisines ofWestandNorth Africa, where it has been traditionally imported bycaravanroutes through theSaharadesert, and whence they were distributed to Sicily and the rest of Italy. Mentioned byPlinyas "African pepper" but subsequently forgotten in Europe, they were renamed "grains of paradise" and became a popular substitute forblack pepperin Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.[3][4][5]TheMénagier de Parisrecommends it for improving wine that "smells stale". Through the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, the theory of thefour humoursgoverned theories about nourishment on the part of doctors, herbalists and druggists: in this context, John Russell characterized grains of paradise inThe Boke of Nurtureas hot and moist.In West Africanfolk medicine, grains of paradise are valued for their warming and digestive properties.
...............Extract from Wkipedia