250 gms

24.75 $USD

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 annattos 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.