Popular in West Africa for centuries, Iru is the fermented bean of the Nigerian locust tree. It has an extremely complex flavor profile–somewhere between chocolate, miso, and cheese–and will add a deep umami flavor to any dish you make with it.

Use it as you would dried mushrooms. Soak in warm water to soften the iru and then add to soups or stews. You can also add it straight to sizzling butter or oil to bloom it at the beginning of cooking and skip the soaking process.