How do I use annatto powder?

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Shaheen

Senior Cook
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i read a recipe which required annatto powder. i wanted to know how the usage of it affects the flavour of the dish? is it a very crucial ingredient or can i ignore it if i don't have it?
 
It really doesn't have much taste. It's used mostly for coloring -- yellow orange.

It's what is used to color cheese orange.

You can probably leave it out .... but what are you making?
 
A lot of it also depends on the capacity in which you are using it. When used to flavor and color rice, it lends a subtle earthy and musty flavor but it's not predominant. I've also used annatto to make an oil with and you can taste the flavor but I used a lot of annatto. The color also depends on how much you use. It can color food as dark as reddish-orange, almost like paprika. Annatto's also inexpensive so you shouldn't sweat it if you want to experiment and play around with it.
 
Like Jenny said, it really depends on the dish.

There are certain Central American dishes where the color/flavor of annatto is critical. Omitting it wouldn't work. In those instances you'd be better off making something else.
 
The recipe for shrimp rice required the annatto powder to be dissolved in clam juice. I'm guessing it's for the colour?

thanks everyone for your inputs!:)
 
kleenex said:
http://www.recipes.co.nz/gofton/lambracks.html

Annatto powder is ground achiote seeds, native to South America. The powder gives an earthy flavour to dishes as well as a vibrant colour. There is no substitute and so if you cannot find any, just omit it from the recipes.

other away around. the seed is called annatto. achiote is a flavored paste made from processing annatto seed with aromatics and spices. personally, I think annatto has an immediately recognizable aroma...especially in coral oil.
 
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