Uzazi

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Dried Uzazi fruits Uzazi 220x206.jpg
Dried Uzazi fruits

"Uzazi" is the Nigerian name for the 'prickly ash' tree of genus Zanthoxylum tessmannii / Fagara tessmannii / Zanthoxylum gilletii , a member of the Rutaceae family, native to Central and West Africa, and a close relative of the Sichuan pepper. It usually refers specifically to the spice made from its fruit and pericarp, though sometimes other parts of it such as its leaves are used. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Each bunch contains 20 to 30 berries. Each berry is round, has a size of 3.5 to 6 mm (1/8 inch to 1/4 inch), has a stalk, and contains a large black seed. The berry turns red when ripe. The berries contain the alkaloid known in Dutch as sanshol. [4] [5]

It is described as spicy and pungent, more so than Sichuan pepper, and bitter. [1] [5] It is usually used by grinding it into a powder and adding it into soups, stews, seasonings, and sauces. [1] [4] [12] [13] Even in West Africa this is a rare spice[ citation needed ], and typically only five or six dried fruit are added to a dish. [5]

In herbal medicine, it is used to treat tumors and wounds. [4]

The name of the spice is derived from Igbo, a language in Nigeria, where the spice is grown and harvested on a commercial basis.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutaceae</span> Family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales

The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.

<i>Schinus</i> Family of shrubs and trees

Schinus is a genus of flowering trees and tall shrubs in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as pepper trees. The Peruvian pepper tree is the source of the spice known as pink peppercorn.

<i>Zanthoxylum</i> Family of shrubs and trees

Zanthoxylum is a genus of about 250 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and climbers in the family Rutaceae that are native to warm temperate and subtropical areas worldwide. It is the type genus of the tribe Zanthoxyleae in the subfamily Rutoideae. Several of the species have yellow heartwood, to which their generic name alludes. Several species are cultivated for their use as spices, notably including Sichuan pepper.

Zanthoxylum deremense is a species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is found in Malawi and Tanzania.

Zanthoxylum holtzianum is a species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is endemic to Tanzania.

Zanthoxylum lindense is a species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is endemic to Tanzania.

Zanthoxylum psammophilum is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae. It is a large liana endemic to Côte d'Ivoire, although in 2005 it was found in Liberia as well. Zanthoxylum psammophilum, a new combination created in 1975 to subsume the genus Fagara into the genus Zanthoxylum based on morphology and secondary metabolites, is the preferred name according to the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève which has a section that specializes in the conservation and biodiversity of flowering plants of Côte d'Ivoire. The type specimen for the plant was collected in the ecotone between the lowland Eastern Guinean forests and the inland Guinean forest-savanna mosaic in the Lagunes District.

<i>Zanthoxylum fagara</i> Species of tree

Zanthoxylum fagara or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus Citrus with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, and to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay. Common names include: lime prickly-ash, wild lime, colima, uña de gato, and corriosa.

<i>Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum</i> Species of tree

Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum, known as thorny yellow-wood, satinwood, satin tree or scrub mulga, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is a rainforest shrub or tree with thick, cone-shaped spines on the trunk and prickles on the branches, pinnate leaves, and male and female flowers arranged in panicles.

<i>Zanthoxylum americanum</i> Species of tree

Zanthoxylum americanum, the common prickly-ash, common pricklyash, common prickly ash or northern prickly-ash, is an aromatic shrub or small tree native to central and eastern portions of the United States and Canada. It is the northernmost New World species in the citrus family, Rutaceae, and is the type species in its genus, which includes sichuan pepper. It can grow to 10 meters (33 ft) tall with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 15 cm (5.9 in). It produces membranous leaflets and axillary flower clusters. The wood is not commercially valuable, but oil extracts from the bark have been used in traditional and alternative medicine, and have been studied for antifungal and cytotoxic properties. The genus name is sometimes spelled Xanthoxylum.

<i>Zanthoxylum armatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Zanthoxylum armatum, also called winged prickly ash or rattan pepper in English, is a species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is an aromatic, deciduous, spiny shrub growing to 3.5 metres (11 ft) in height, endemic from Pakistan across to Southeast Asia and up to Korea and Japan. It is one of the sources of the spice Sichuan pepper, and also used in folk medicine, essential oil production and as an ornamental garden plant.

<i>Zanthoxylum piperitum</i> Species of plant

Zanthoxylum piperitum, also known as Japanese pepper or Japanese prickly-ash is a deciduous aromatic spiny shrub or small tree of the citrus and rue family Rutaceae, native to Japan and Korea.

Zanthoxylum gilletii, the East African satinwood, is a tree species in the genus Zanthoxylum found in Africa. The fruits are used to produce the spice uzazi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sichuan pepper</span> Chinese spice

Sichuan pepper, also known as Szechuan pepper, Szechwan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, Mountain pepper, and mala pepper, is a spice commonly used in Sichuan cuisine in China, and in Nepal and north east India. Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is not closely related to black pepper or chili peppers. It is made from plants of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae, which includes citrus and rue.

<i>Zanthoxylum rhetsa</i> Species of flowering plant

Zanthoxylum rhetsa, commonly known as Indian prickly ash, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and occurs from India east to the Philippines and south to northern Australia. It is a deciduous shrub or tree with cone-shaped spines on the stems, pinnate leaves with between nine and twenty-three leaflets, panicles of white or yellowish, male and female flowers, followed by spherical red, brown or black follicles.

Zanthoxyloideae is a subfamily of the family Rutaceae.

Zanthoxylum dimorphophyllum is a tree from the family Rutaceae.

Zanthoxylum multijugum is a woody climber from the family Rutaceae.

<i>Zanthoxylum riedelianum</i>

Zanthoxylum riedelianum is a species of the plant in the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. The native range of this species is Mexico to South America.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Evans, Dyfed Lloyd. "Spice Guide Uzazi". Celtnet Recipes / Nemeton: The Sacred Grove: Home of Ancient Recipes. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  2. dkunkel (2018-04-20). "Subgroup 028B Fruit or berry" (PDF). CLASS A: PRIMARY FOOD COMMODITIES OF PLANT ORIGIN, TYPE 05: HERBS AND SPICES, GROUP 027 HERBS. Raleigh, NC: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC State University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11. HS 3330, Uzazi, Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman, basionym: Fagara tessmannii
  3. "Subgroup 028B Fruit or berry". Agenda Item 7(b): REVISION OF THE CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD AND FEED: CLASS A: PRIMARY FOOD COMMODITIES OF PLANT ORIGIN, TYPE 05: HERBS AND SPICES, GROUP 027 HERBS, GROUP 028 SPICES (AT STEP 7) (PDF). JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME, CODEX COMMITTEE ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES, 50th Session: Haikou, PR. China, 9 - 14 April 2017. Prepared by the Electronic Working Group chaired by the United States of America and co-chaired by the Netherlands. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. February 2018. p. 18. CX/PR 18/50/7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-12-27. HS 3315, Uzazi, Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman, basionym: Fagara tessmannii{{cite conference}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Vetlesen, Kari (2022-12-08). Ervik, Finn; Bolstad, Erik (eds.). "uzazi". Biologi / Planteriket / Dekkfrøete planter / Tofrøbladete planter / Lønneordenen / Rutefamilien. Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Uzazi". Rutaceae | Zanthoxylum; #oorsprong en verspreiding, #gezondheidsaspecten, #igi-ata. OURFOOD NL (in Dutch). 2020-06-13. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  6. "Ladinakeelne nimetus: Zanthoxylum tessmannii (Engl.) Ayafor". Eestikeelsete taimenimede andmebaas (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2023-10-11. Eestikeelne nimetus: Tessmanni koldpuu; saadus (maitseaine): uzazi, puit: olon
  7. The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (2018-01-17). "PART B: Other products referred to in Article 2(1)". Written at Brussels. replacing Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance). II (Non-legislative acts). Official Journal of the European Union. - (published 2018-01-23). p. L 18/68. COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2018/62. Archived from the original on 2023-10-12. 0820020, Sichuan pepper: 0820020-002, Uzazi, Zanthoxylum tessmannii; syn: Fagara tessmannii{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Brifo, Kojo (2022-12-01). "Creating Flavors for Africans". Vanguard News. Nigeria: Vanguard Media Limited. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  9. "Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman". All plants / Code / Angiosperms / Sapindales / Rutaceae. WFO Plant List. World Flora Online. June 2023. wfo-0000429498. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11. This species name was first published in Taxon 23: 363 (1975) ... Zanthoxylum tessmannii, author: (Engl.) Ayafor, protologue: Pl. Med. (Stuttgart) 50: 210 (1984), https://www.ipni.org/n/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:972889-1, http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000429464 ... Fagara tessmannii, author: Engl., protologue: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 46: 406 (1911), https://www.ipni.org/n/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:773556-1, http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000685011 {{cite web}}: External link in |quote= (help)
  10. "Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman". Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-10-11. Fagara tessmannii Engl. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 46: 406 (1911) ... Zanthoxylum tessmannii (Engl.) Ayafor in Pl. Med. (Stuttgart) 50: 210 (1984) ... Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone: The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/ {{cite web}}: External link in |quote= (help)
  11. "How to make Nigerian Fish Pepper Soup". Souldeliciouz. London. 2015-03-24 [2013-12-10]. Archived from the original on 2023-05-28. Retrieved 2023-10-12. WARNING: Avast flags this webpage as URL:Phishing, though VirusTotal gives 0 detections.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  12. Evans, Dyfed Lloyd. "Cassava Soup". Meat/Main Course, Origin: West Africa, Period: Traditional. Celtnet Recipes / Nemeton: The Sacred Grove: Home of Ancient Recipes. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  13. Evans, Dyfed Lloyd (2007-09-27). "West African Fish Rub". Spice Blends, Origin: West Africa, Period: Modern. Celtnet Recipes / Nemeton: The Sacred Grove: Home of Ancient Recipes. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-11.