Pepper Soup Spice - Aidan Tetrapleura tetraptera (Yanghanyanghan)

Shiny, dark purple-brown, usually slightly curved ribbed pod about 15-25 cm long by about 5 cm across. The pods have 4 longitudinal, wing-like ridges nearly 3 cm broad, which lends it is Greek name meaning ribbed & four-winged
. Two of the wings are woody, the other 2 filled with soft, sugary pulp which is oily and aromatic. The seeds, which rattle in the pods, are small, black, hard, flat, about 8 mm long, embedded in the body of the pod, which does not split open.

Locally called Aridan .  And also described as being the fruit of the Aidan tree. In West Africa, the plant Tetrapleura tetraptera is used as a spice, a medicine and as a dietary supplement rich in vitamins. The tree has many uses. Its sweet fragrance is highly valued, its fruit is used to spice dishes such as Banga Soup, and its bark is used for medicinal purposes. The major constituents are tannis, flavoids and starch.The pulp is what goes into the soup. It is usually sold already chopped up, somewhat soft and fragrant. Some people make a dried/fermented condiment with the seeds.