Guest guest Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 What is Annatto Seed? From the web: The annatto tree is an extremely attractive small flowering tree of the Bixaceae family that grows throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America. The warlike Carib Indians used the dye to paint their bodies, and it was also used by the ancient Mayans in Guatemala.Annatto is exploited to its fullest in the cooking of the Caribbean and Latin America, being used primarily as a coloring although also as a gentle flavoring. COOKING TIPS Color rather than flavor is annatto's main role in the kitchen, however, oil that has been colored and gently imbued with annatto is a valuable ingredient in the cooking Caribean. To make annatto oil, heat 1 cup grapeseed oil in a small saucepan. Add 2 Oz annatto seed and cook, stirring, until the oil turns a deep orange color, about 2-5 minutes; timing depends on the potency of the seeds. Once the color is rich and deep, remove the pan from the heat. Cool, strain, and store the oil in a glass container in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely. Sources: health food stores or try www.andysmarket.com On the Internet: try Amazon.com; www.wholespice.com, www.mountainroseherbs.com, or www.penzeys.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Rough-looking little red seeds, called achiote in Spanish. I buy them in plastic bags in the Mexican spices section of my grocery store (in California). Laura G. La Tea Dah wrote: > What is Annatto Seed? > > >From the web: > Annatto is exploited to its fullest in the cooking of the Caribbean > and Latin America, being used primarily as a coloring although also as > a gentle flavoring. > > COOKING TIPS > To make annatto oil, heat 1 cup grapeseed oil in a small saucepan. Add > 2 Oz annatto seed and cook, stirring, until the oil turns a deep > orange color, about 2-5 minutes; timing depends on the potency of the > seeds. Once the color is rich and deep, remove the pan from the heat. > Cool, strain, and store the oil in a glass container in the > refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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