Lilac is one of the indispensable roles of Masala.
Dingxiang Clove Shicai classroom
Lilac originated in Moluccas, a spice archipelago in Indonesia, and is now cultivated in most tropical countries. The main producing areas are Sangiba, Tanzania, Madagascar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Indonesia, with Indonesia producing 80% of the total output.
How do lilacs come from? In fact, it is a spice made by drying the buds of lilac trees. Its name Clove comes from Latin Clavus (meaning nails), because the dried buds are brown and look like nails, which really makes people hard to associate with its original appearance. It should be noted that "Eupatorium odoratum and Eupatorium odoratum" in the genus Eupatorium of Oleaceae are also commonly known as lilacs, so don't confuse the two.
Lilac buds before drying.
Lilacs grow like nails.
Lilac cuisine
Clove has a strong fragrance, mainly from eugenol, which can be found in dill, cinnamon and nutmeg, and has a quite lasting fragrance.
Clove itself tastes bitter and astringent, but it will turn into a mild and sweet taste after cooking with food, which can make the cooking more mellow. It can be said that it is one of the essential spices for stewed dishes, and it is very suitable for matching meat and sweet foods. Traditional eating methods around the world include: Americans are used to directly insert cloves into ham for baking, Germans will add cloves to bread or even wine and drink recipes, and China people often use fennel to stew pork feet or lamb legs.
Delicious Indian food can't be without cloves!
India's famous "spicy rice" will stir-fry fennel seeds, bay leaves, cloves, masala spice powder and cinnamon sticks with white rice and then cook them. The flavor is quite charming! I don't want to go to so much trouble to cook at home, but there is also a simple version: when cooking rice, add1~ 2 cloves, and the cooked white rice will have a special aroma, which makes it delicious!
Although it is spicy, cloves are very suitable for desserts and drinks, which match the tastes of apples, chocolates and coffee. Classic collocation such as apple pie, hot spice apple juice that westerners drink every Christmas, chocolate milk porridge, a traditional dish of Bolivia in South America, and Indian spice milk tea popular in South Asia.
When it comes to apple pie, everyone will think of cinnamon first. Try adding cloves next time, you can taste a different taste ~
Cloves also have medical effects.
In addition to cooking, cloves are also used in traditional medicine such as Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. According to records, cloves were used as medicine as early as the Han Dynasty. In modern western medicine, clove essential oil is considered to have the effect of relieving pain and become a mild analgesic for dentists. Therefore, if you want to buy cloves in Taiwan Province, you can easily find them in traditional Chinese medicine shops as well as in specialized spice shops.
Lilac fragrance is also OK for insect repellent.
The strong smell of cloves is also very suitable for repelling pests! Hanging cloves in gauze indoors helps to drive away flies and fruit flies. In addition, according to the report "Good Morning and Health", the Japanese will also use clove and alcohol to make their own anti-mosquito liquid, which means that 100g clove should be soaked in 500c.c alcohol for about three days, and then mixed with100 c.c. olive oil or baby oil, which can effectively prevent mosquitoes.
Westerners will insert cloves into citrus fruits as aromatic decorations.
Usage of clove
Cloves are hard, can't be eaten directly, and the taste will be too strong. Remember to take them out after cooking so as not to eat them by mistake. It is suggested that you can put it in gauze with other herbs and spices and then add it to the dish for stewing, which is more convenient to remove.
When using food, it is recommended to take it with a dry measuring spoon, or pour the spices in the bottle into a clean hand and then add it to the pot; Don't sprinkle the perfume bottle directly on the hot pot. Steam entering the bottle will spoil the perfume. It is also suggested that you can rub it with your fingers a little before adding dishes, which can make the fragrance more intense.
Lilac preservation method
There are dried clove granules and ground clove powder on the market. Generally speaking, spice granules can be preserved for a long time, about 3 ~ 5 years. Powdered spices are recommended to be used within one year, with the best flavor. Dry spices must be kept in a sealed container, in a cool place at room temperature or in a freezer, and not in a refrigerator with high humidity to avoid moisture deterioration.
Clove powder is convenient to use, but the fragrance is also easy to lose.