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16:34 GMT, Thursday, 11 December 2008

In pictures: Red hot in Ethiopia

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Berbere peppers are an essential ingredient in Ethiopia's spicy cuisine. Alaba, near the central town of Awassa, is the centre of the country's hot pepper trade.

A close-up of someone holding a berbere pepper

A close-up of someone holding a berbere pepper

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Alaba peppers are big and considered to be some of the finest in the country.

An Ethiopian farmer showing her crop of berbere peppers

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The pepper farmers are doing well in this bumper harvest season. Berbere fetches $3 (£2) a kilo in Alaba market.

Berbere peppers drying in Ethiopia

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Before going to market, the peppers have to be dried in the sun until they are leathery.

A buyer grades berbere peppers in Ethiopia

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Roadside buyers collect and grade the peppers from the farmers. The darkest red is considered the best quality.

A cart loaded with berbere peppers

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The graded berbere are then packed into sacks to be sold at Alaba's weekly Thursday market.

Pepper buyers at Alaba market

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As well as being renowned as a hot pepper paradise with its mountains of berbere, Alaba is also famous for its hats.

Peppers on sale at Alaba market in Ethiopia

Peppers on sale at Alaba market in Ethiopia

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Buyers and dealers travel down from the capital, Addis Ababa, about 200km (125 miles) north-east of the town, to buy Alaba's peppers.

People eating an Ethiopian red stew

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The peppers are then ground to make the berbere, which is what makes Ethiopia's "red" stews red, and tasty. Words and photos by BBC's Elizabeth Blunt.

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Related to this story:
Country profile: Ethiopia (03 Jun 08 | Country profiles )