Re: [CH] Sort of OT- Red Achiote

Jesse [CH1200] G. (CH1200@attbi.com)
Thu, 17 Apr 2003 00:51:18 -0500

Greetings, Linda and CH's-

Achiote is merely annatto seeds. Achiote is probably its name in Nahuatl 
or some other native Mexican language (not *&%$#@!!!).
<trivia>
Here in the States, "Wheaties" cereal used to be colored by "annatto 
seeds."
</trivia>
They are a coloring agent, and to a lesser extent, a flavoring agent. 
Puerto Rican cooking calls for it a lot more than Mexican cooking.  'Tis 
the cuisines that I know. All ye international CH's / CH's with 
knowledge of Other Cuisines That Use Achiote, please chime in, eh?

IIRC, you simmer them on really low heat, for quite a while.  I vaguely 
recall my M-I-L putting 1/2 of a handful of achiote, and one cup of 
cooking oil in a saucepan, then putting it in the oven on loooow heat 
for at least an hour. She probably left in in there until she had 
another use for the oven (or the oil).

She strained out the annatto seeds and pitched them in the trash.  They 
had contributed what they could to the oil, which now had a bea-yutiful, 
auburn/chestnut/reddish/brownish/dark-honey-lookin' color.

Your results may vary.

Hasta la lista,
Jesse G.
CH#1200

Linda Panter wrote:
> Sort of OT but maybe not....?  I have a packet of seasonings and chile 
> seeds that I received as part of a gift. One packet is "red achiote".  
> It contains little hard granules about the size of whole black 
> peppercorns, or a bit smaller, but rough in shape as though they were 
> freeze dried. (They aren't... just in a plastic bag.)
> 
> What do I do with them? Are they seeds for planting or some kind of 
> seasonings that I crush in a mortar and pestle? I seem to remember 
> achiote as a Mexican seasoning but I have no idea what form these are.
> 
> Help, anyone?
> 
> TIA.... Linda
> 
>