Terre Exotique Annatto Seeds 70g

Annatto seeds are mainly used to naturally colour food with a yellow-orange hue. They are commonly used in Mexican and Asian cuisine to add colour primarily to sauces and rice dishes, but also in seafood dishes and broths. Annatto seeds have a very hard texture. It's best to use them in butter, oil, or even water. The pigments naturally present in annatto seeds allow them to dissolve in water and oil. Coarsely grind the seeds using a mortar. Gently heat the seeds in extra virgin olive oil, and remove the seeds once the oil turns orange. Sear the food in the colored oil. Butter or water can substitute for oil. Since their aromas are rather discreet, you can combine them with other spices such as cumin or turmeric to bring a more present flavor to your dishes.

This red seed comes from the pod of the Bixa orellana, a tree native to Central America. After harvesting, annatto seeds are dried to remove the wax that covers the seed. This wax allows annatto seeds to dissolve in water and oil to diffuse their pigments.

An interesting fact: Mimolette, edam, and cheddar cheeses all owe their yellow colour to annatto seeds...