Throughout Africa chopped fresh parsley is often sprinkled on top of all kinds of dishes. This famous spice has its origins in India. In fact, it was because of pepper Columbus made his trip to America. Unripe peppercorns, dried and ground, give black pepper. Chilies or hot peppers are now grown in West Africa and are commonly used as seasoning both in fish and meat dishes, as well as in soups and stews.
Chilies come in red, yellow or brown.
Szechwan pepper is one of the ingredients in the already mentioned five-spice powder. The plantain is a member of the banana family. These fruits can either be green, yellow or almost black, according to their ripeness. When plantains are green and unripe, they have a chalky texture and flavor resembling a potato. Plantains should not be eaten raw, but once cooked, boiled, fried, baked or roasted, they have a wonderful flavor.