Grains of selim
Xylopia aethiopica · Spice
Top 10 pairings
Grains of selim are the slender, twisted, bean-like dried fruit pods of Xylopia aethiopica, an aromatic West African tree in the custard-apple family. Used whole or crushed as a smoky, musky peppercorn substitute — its scent likened to black cardamom, nutmeg and resin — it seasons soups, stews, smoked-fish rubs and herbal teas across the region, and is the defining flavouring of Senegal's café Touba. It is known across the region by many names: hwentia in Ghana, etso to the Ewe, and diarr or djar in Wolof.
Picking a good onedrag
Whole pods, cracked to order, loudFaded, dusty, smells of nothing
Whole in the jarEveryday bestWhole pods keep far better than ground. Buy whole, bruise two or three into the pot like a bouquet garni, and fish them out before serving.
Crack one and smellSmoke and resin still plain, the cool camphor edge gone quiet
Whole pods, not groundWhole pods, older stock, still loud when you snap one open
Look over the podsSizes and shades uneven, a few split hulls, some fines in the bag
Bend one, then split itFirm, splits cleanly, the seeds still dark and clinging to the hull