Melegueta pepper, also known as ‘grains of paradise’, is a rare spice native to the coastal regions of West Africa. Melegueta pepper has a pungent flavour and an aroma reminiscent of cardamom and camphor. Compared to black pepper, melegueta is quite mild. The seed contains a unique combination of aromatic ketones, which give it its distinctive flavour. Grains of paradise are particularly well suited to dishes featuring tuna. It is excellent with meat dishes and stews. It is also suitable for flavouring gin and other alcoholic cocktails. Melegueta seeds can be used whole or crushed, either during cooking or as a finishing touch in place of black pepper. It is a spice that pairs well with other herbs, particularly thyme, rosemary and sage. As the seeds are hard, it is best to use a mortar and pestle to crush the melegueta pepper. Country of origin: Ghana 60g jar

Cubeb, or cubeb pepper. Cubeb pepper originates from tropical regions such as Java and other Indonesian islands. This pepper has a warm, pleasant aroma; it is slightly peppery but also reminiscent of other spices, with soft notes of eucalyptus and turpentine. Heating the pepper brings out this pleasant aroma. Kubeeba pepper is not as hot as black pepper. On the pepper heat scale, it scores a fairly low three out of ten. This pepper is best suited to meat and vegetable dishes. It pairs very well with cardamom, cinnamon, curry leaves, rosemary, sage, thyme and turmeric. Country of origin: Indonesia 35g jar