The quatre côtés spice, also called essèssè, is the dried, ground fruit of the Tetrapleura tetraptera tree, a traditional spice from Cameroon. Its powder flavours sauces and marinades. This pouch contains 100 g.
What is quatre côtés spice?
The name “quatre côtés” (four sides) comes from the shape of the fresh pod: a cross-shaped section with four raised ridges. Dried and ground, it gives this brown-to-beige powder. In Cameroon, the Sawa people call it essèssè; it is also found in Ghana under the name prekese and in Nigeria under the names aridan or uhio. Its taste is tangy, slightly astringent, sweet and very aromatic.
How to use it?
Add a pinch of powder at the end of cooking so as not to lose its aroma. It flavours the Bamileke people's yellow sauce, mbongo (the Bassa people's black sauce) and pèpè soup. It is also used as a marinade for braised fish, poultry and pork.
What to pair it with?
The same fruit is also sold in pieces: essèssè spice in pieces, to infuse a sauce without grinding it. In Cameroonian sauces, it pairs well with THE LIONS ground Bafia djansang, another traditional aromatic. Find more products in the Cameroonian cuisine range.
Product information
- Brand: NKOSI
- Contents: 100 g, fine powder
- Ingredients: dried, ground quatre côtés fruit (essèssè). Check the exact composition on the label of the product received.
- Allergens: refer to the label of the product received.
- Origin: Cameroon
- Storage: away from heat, light and humidity, in a well-sealed container.
