The four-corner spice, or essèssè, is the dried fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera, a tree from the tropical forests of West and Central Africa. Its dark brown pods, marked with four ridges, flavour Cameroonian yellow sauce and mbongo tchobi. 500 g bag of whole pods.
What is the four-corner spice?
Among the Sawa people, in Cameroon, this fruit is called essèssè; in Ghana, it is known as prekese. Its botanical name is Tetrapleura tetraptera. The dried pod has a tangy, slightly astringent, sweet and very aromatic taste. It is found whole (this bag), in pieces or ground, depending on use.
How to use it?
Cut the two fleshiest faces of the pod with a knife or kitchen scissors to extract the flesh, then chop or grind it just before cooking to keep all its aroma. It goes into the Bamiléké yellow sauce and the Bassa mbongo tchobi (or bongo'o), two Cameroonian sauces, and also flavours poultry, pork and marinades.
What to pair it with?
For a ready-made blend, try the yellow sauce condiment, which combines essèssè with other Cameroonian spices. You will also find this same fruit in pieces or already ground, depending on your use, and Cameroonian cuisine has its own category.
Product information
- Brand: NKOSI
- Net weight: 500 g, whole dried pods
- Origin: West and Central Africa, tropical forest areas
- Allergens: none of the 14 allergens that must be declared in this single-ingredient dried fruit; possible traces depending on the packing facility, to check on the label of the product received
- Storage: away from heat and light, in a dry place
