Néré

The tree whose seeds become dawadawa and iru – fermented seasonings that flavour soups all over Nigeria.

Parkia biglobosa is a tree of the legume family growing to 15–20 m, with a broad crown and bipinnate leaves. In the dry season round red flower heads resembling pompoms hang from it on long stalks; they are pollinated mainly by bats. The long brown pods contain sweet, yellow, floury pulp and hard seeds. Boiled and fermented, the seeds turn into a protein-rich, pungent seasoning.

Significance in the country

In the north of the country the fermented seeds of this tree are dawadawa – the staple seasoning of Hausa cooking – while among the Yoruba the same seasoning is called iru and goes into dishes such as ewedu soup. The trees are left standing in fields as a valuable source of food and income.

Where it grows

The savannas of central and northern Nigeria – from Oyo and Kwara through the Middle Belt to Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Bauchi and Borno states; absent from the humid, forested south.

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