Annato or Achiote Seeds
Annato seeds from the Caribbean
Though annato may not be in
your spice rack, you probably consume it every day. Native to the Caribbean,
Mexico, Central and South America, annato seeds are most commonly used as a
natural dye in butter, margarine, cheeses, snacks, dried fish and many
cosmetics.
Annato (pronounced uh-NAH-toh) is used primarily in Caribbean, Mexican
and Filipino cooking, but is also known in Vietnamese and Indian kitchens. When
the hard brick-red seeds are warmed in oil, a dark orange color bleeds into the
oil. The scent is earthy and fragrant, but only a little annato flavor is left
in the oil. The color and unassuming flavor is perfect for many Latin rice
recipes, but can improve many dishes.
Because the dye is used in cosmetics,
the Annato plant is also called the "Lipstick Tree".
Annato (bixa orellana)
grows on a shrub and the seeds are harvested from pods. The seeds may be ground
into a powder (used in spice rubs) or made into a achiote paste, used in mole (MO-lay)
sauces.
To make annato oil for one recipe, heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil
in a small saucepan and sprinkle one
 Tablespoon
of annato seeds over. Let the seeds simmer in the oil, at a very low temperature
for about five minutes, remove from heat and let rest for five minutes. Strain
the seeds from the oil and discard the seeds. If you would like to have more oil
on-hand, make a larger batch (1 cup of oil and 5 Tablespoons seeds is nice) and
store the oil in the refrigerator. It will keep for weeks.
Annato resources: The spice is also
spelled annatto and is sometimes referred to as achiote.
www.mexgrocer.com
www.penzeys.com
www.wholespice.com
www.spicebarn.com
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