Uzazi

The term Uzazi refers to the dried fruit of the West African deciduous shrub Zanthoxylum tessmannii, syn. Fagara tessmannii, a member of the 'prickly ash' Zanthoxylum family. The name of the spice is derived from Igbo, a language in Nigeria, where the spice is grown and harvested on a commercial basis. Zanthoxylum tessmannii is a close relative of the Sichuan pepper, and Uzazi has a similar taste profile to the Asian spice. However, unlike Sichuan pepper where only the pericarp of the fruit is use, uzazi is employed whole (both pericarp and seed). This may explain why uzazi has a spicier flavour and greater pungency than sichuan pepper.