Atsuwete (annatto)

Atsuwete (achuete, if one prefers the more Spanish sounding pronunciation) is annatto (Bixa orellana)–a natural red food coloring. In Philippine cuisine, it is commonly associated with sotanghon guisado and kare-kare. The small seeds are usually soaked in hot water until they render their color. The water is then used to add a reddish tinge to the meat, broth, noodles or sauce. Personally, I prefer to “fry” them in hot oil. They render more color that way. I just strain the oil before sauteeing.

atsuwete (annatto) seedsatsuwete (annatto) tree

Although atsuwete has a distinct, but mild, flavor and aroma, it is not really used as a spice in Filipino cooking but only as food coloring.

In the West it used to colour confectionery, butter, smoked fish and cheeses like Cheshire, Leicester, Edam and Muenster. As an effective natural colouring it is also used in cosmetics and textile manufacturing. It provides a bright and exotic appearance for many kinds of dishes. Yeats wrote ÒGood arnotto is the colour of fireÓ (Natural History, 1870). The Mayan Indians of Central America used the bright dye as war paint. [The Epicentre]

The mature atsuwete tree is eight to ten feet high on the average. The seeds are contained in round pods (above, right). The green pods turn red when mature and ready for picking. 

February 20, 2006  Print This Post   
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