Welcome to the slightly different fruity Friday…It’s Tropical Friday and today it’s the incredible Achiote Seed…also known as annatto…
Native to the Caribbean islands, continental Central America and the western part of South America.
The tree has been introduced to the tropics all over the world; nevertheless, the main producing area is still in South America (Perú, Brazil).
Among the Asian countries, India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines have small-scale annatto production; in other tropical countries like here in Thailand, it is mostly planted as an ornamental backyard tree…
Dried annatto seeds have a weak, perfumed odour. In the fresh state, however, their scent is intense and mild–fruity.
When ripe, the fruits split open to reveal several seeds the size of the head of a matchstick and covered with thin, orange-red pulp. Indigenous people in South American countries where the tree originated, such as Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia, used the dye obtained from the pulp to colour their lips, which gave annatto another name, the lipstick tree.
The dye was also used to cover their bodies, to ward off insects and prevent sunburn.
The seeds can be made into a paste or used as a dye which is obtained by immersing the seeds in warm water for a few minutes then stirred until the water becomes orange-red.
Used in a popular Mexican dish called cochinita pibil a dish that is far from mild or dry. The heat comes in the form of intensely hot condiments on the side, but it has a uniquely sweet, earthy aroma imparted by bitter Seville oranges, achiote, charred garlic, and a host of other spices. That earthiness is backed with the herbaceous aroma of the banana leaves it’s cooked in, along with smokiness from hours of slow cooking in a smoky, steamy píib (or, in modern Mexican Spanish, pib), the Mayan oven consisting of a hole in the ground lined with hot stones.
Although I don’t have a stone oven although I could get hubby to dig a hole in the garden and I’m would love to help he is always digging holes…now that’s a plan…
For now it’s a simple recipe of rice …with achiote.
- 1 cup of uncooked rice
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1medium white onion-chopped
- 2 ripe plum tomatoes-skinned and quartered
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 1 tbsp of Achiote Powder/paste
- 3/4 tsp of salt
Let’s Cook!
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the rice and stir over medium-high heat until rice is golden brown.
Add the garlic and chopped onion, and sauté until the onion just begins to brown.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Achiote paste/powder and salt, lower heat and cover.
Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
My paste came from Amazon however if you can obtain the seeds then you can make your own paste
It is a simple recipe with a mix of popular spices which you will have in your cupboard achiote(annatto), oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, garlic, and salt. just bound together with bitter Seville orange juice…
The tree also has medicinal uses. Leaves oiled and placed on the forehead relieve headaches, and a paste made from mixing dye from seeds and oil heals blisters and burns. Drinking a decoction of the leaves alone alleviate throat inflammation, pleurisy and asthma. Gargling with a decoction of leaves can also help a sore throat.
Thank you for joining me today I hope you have enjoyed learning about the Achiote Seed or maybe you are familiar with it and cook with it already.
Until tomorrow when I will be back with Saturday Snippets …x
It is so interesting as to how a single plant can be so beneficial in a multitude of ways. It has medicinal properties, as well can be used as a cosmetic product and can be cooked as well. Nature has provided us with such a wide variety of products and we should be contented with them and should try to stop experimenting any further and harm the nature!
#MyWordsKraft
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I never heard or saw this one. The lipstick tree. Very unique indeed!
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That’s what I love about blogging always something new to discover…Thank you for popping by 🙂
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These fruits look like they are from another planet. I can be mistaken, but these were certainly the basis for some science fiction films. Lol Thank you for sharing your experiences with them, Carol! Best wishes, Michael
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I suppose they do, Michael…I hope you are keeping well…Enjoy the rest of the week 🙂 x
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Oh, lets become aliens, Carol. Lol Have a beautiful rest of the week too, and please take care. xx Michael
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I am already(haha) it’s what we are referred to here at times..Aliens…I am staying Michael not going anywhere..but thank you for your concern 🙂 xx
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:-)) Great to hear, Carol! This about staying save. xx 🙂
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I think they use anatto to die Red Leicester cheese 😀
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Excuse spelling it is early 🤣🤣
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Haha..typos get us all at some point…That’s interesting about the red Leicester Cheese 🙂
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I’ve never heard of Achiote Seed, but it seems quite versatile…
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Absolutely ,Jim most seed and plants have many uses which is good 🙂 …as does this beautiful seed :)x
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The “Lipstick Tree” in the title drew me in. Lipstick is my favorite cosmetic even though during this past year wearing lipstick has been irrelevant, for sure!
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I know a mask isn’t condusive to lipstick wearing…Have a lovely weekend Marian 🙂 x
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We do have these, and it’s true that no mosquito would come near you if you are sprayed with annatto water, but then you look like a red Indian.
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Yes..not a good look although it maybe effective 🙂 x
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It’s not a bad look when you first put it on, but when it starts washing off in splotches – very funny!
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I can image, Dear Dolly…xx
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Annatto is the dye that cheesemakers in Wisconsin use to turn their Cheddar orange! In Vermont, we like our Cheddar a natural white!
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Thats interesting I think I would or do prefer my cheddar white 🙂 x
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Originally, the dye was added to make the cheese look like it was richer, and the practice stuck. It adds no flavor to the cheese. We’re pretty snobbish about this in Vermont!
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I don’t blame you, Dorothy if it adds nothing then there is no point 😊x
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Thank you for sharing 🙂
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I have never heard of Achiote fruit. Informative post on this rare fruit Carol
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Thank you, Sowmya 🙂
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I’m glad that a lot of useful things can be done with this plant because those pods kind of looks like the coronavirus. 😐
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I didn’t look at it that way 🙂
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Something else I have never heard of. Very interesting, Carol.
(Julie now has your recipe for sourdough bread, and has promised to try making it ‘soon’. )
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Thank you, Pete… Lovely I hope the process and you enjoy the results 😊x
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You know, I have been cooking with Achiote since I could hold a spoon, and I never knew that the un-Spanish word for it was Annatto … mind blown 🤯.
Thank you for another awesome read.
Stay Safe&Smart
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Oh wow…you are very welcome… you stay safe and smart too ..Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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Thank you Carol! I know it was really sad I didn’t know haha but also refreshing that I have so much to learn and love learning. You enjoy your weekend.
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Always good to learn, Belle…the internet is a wonderful thing as is blogging I am always learning when I read blogs I love it 🙂
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I completely agree.
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So unique Carol!
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There is so much to learn about the world we live in as you know and so lovely to make new discoveries…I love it!…Have a great weekend , John 🙂 x
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