From tea to moonshine, from pilaf to dessert: where to add cloves and in what quantities?

Cloves can be used in cooking, medicine, aromatherapy and everyday life. Due to the ease of production and affordable price, this spice is popular not only in Asia, but also in European countries. It is obtained from the clove tree Syzygium aromaticum, which grows in tropical forests. We will tell you where to add the aromatic spice and in what quantities.

Appearance, taste and aroma of cloves

Cloves are dried petioles with unopened buds. The spice is sold whole and ground. High-quality cloves are brownish-brown in color and, when pressed, leave traces of essential oils on the paper. The petioles have bitterness, astringency and a burning taste, and the buds have a subtle spicy aroma with warm notes.

Mostly, whole cloves are used in cooking, as they retain their aroma longer.You can also find dried clove fruits on sale. They resemble buds in aroma, but have a softer and sweeter taste due to the starch content.

What spices go with cloves?

In hot dishes, the spice goes well with other hot seasonings, especially black pepper, ginger, and mustard seeds. A good flavor ensemble is obtained with rosemary, cardamom, marjoram, lemon balm, bay leaf, sage and fennel.

The spice is included in many Indian mixtures. One of the most popular seasonings is Garam Masala. In addition to cloves, it includes the following spices:

• black and white pepper;
• nutmeg;
• cumin;
• cinnamon;
• star anise;
• coriander.

The seasoning is added to tea and other drinks, meat and poultry, even to fruit salads. In this case, all components are mixed and ground immediately before preparing the dish.

Cloves combined with ground cinnamon are an excellent additive for baking, chocolate, and candies. But it is important not to overdo it with spices, otherwise the desserts will turn out bitter.

What foods and drinks are cloves added to?

Despite the rather sharp specific taste, cloves have found application in most areas of the food industry. Below we will look at what dishes and drinks you can add it to.

Where do you add whole cloves?

The spice in the form of whole petioles has pronounced antibacterial and antifungal properties. Therefore, it has long been used for making pickles and canned food. Cloves not only give the preparations a unique taste, but also extend the shelf life.

The spice goes well with the following products:

• cucumbers;
• peppers;
• cabbage;
• beets;
• tomatoes;
• zucchini;
• pumpkin;
• wild garlic.

Whole cloves can be added to meat and fish when stewing. But it is better to do this 5–10 minutes before the end of cooking, otherwise the seasoning will add extra bitterness to the dishes.

If you want to preserve the original taste of the products, only giving them a light spicy aroma, add only clove buds.

In general, the spice is used to flavor alcoholic beverages:

• mulled wine,
• moonshine,
• meads,
• sbitnya,
• punch,
• cider.

Sticks or just buds are placed in the liquid, and the bottle is put away in a dark place. On average, drinks are infused for 2 weeks. Then the spice should be taken out of the bottle.

Cloves also add a pleasant taste to non-alcoholic drinks: compote, cranberry and lingonberry juice, apple juice.

Where do you add dried cloves?

Ground dried cloves are mainly used in the confectionery industry. At home, you can add it to the dough to prepare the following types of baked goods:

• fruit pies;
• gingerbread;
• cupcakes and muffins;
• ginger cookies.

Spice enhances the aroma of baked goods, gives them warm notes and reduces the cloyingly sweet taste. In addition, dried cloves can be added to berry and fruit jams, honey, mousses and puddings, and cereals. It is also used when frying meat closer to the end of cooking.

Do you add cloves to tea?

Yes. If you have previously tried spicy infusions with ginger or cinnamon, then you will probably like a drink with cloves. In the cold season, it will warm you and lift your spirits.

Clove tea has the following beneficial properties:

• strengthens the immune system;
• relieves headaches and muscle tension;
• normalizes digestion, helps fight diarrhea, constipation, bloating;
• alleviates the condition of diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

To prepare the drink, you need to mix 2 clove buds, 1/3 of a cinnamon stick, a pinch of dried ginger and 10 g of black tea leaves in a mug. Then pour boiling water over the ingredients and let it brew for 5-7 minutes. You can add a spoonful of honey and a slice of lemon to the tea that has cooled to 55–60 degrees.

What is the purpose of cloves in an orange?

Before the advent of artificial air fragrances on sale, people fought against unpleasant odors with the help of natural products. They also made pomanders from fruits and spices. The latter not only smelled pleasant, but also decorated the room and destroyed bacteria, viruses and fungi.

If you want to make an orange and clove pomander, proceed as follows:

1. Buy fresh citrus, preferably with thick skin.
2. Draw a dot pattern onto the fruit.
3. Insert a spice stick into each point.
4. Sprinkle the orange with other dried spices. For example, cinnamon and vanilla.
5. Wrap the fruit in a paper bag. Dry in a low oven or near a radiator.

In the end, all that remains is to tie the product with a ribbon and hang it in the right place. The ball will emit a scent for 3-6 months.

However, you don’t have to make exactly the pomander. You can simply stick whole cloves into an orange and let the fruit sit on the counter for a day. The citrus will be saturated with essential oils, and you can eat it, enjoying the unusual spicy taste.

How much cloves should I add to different foods?

Use cloves in dishes and drinks with extreme caution. In large quantities, it drowns out not only other spices, but also the natural taste of the products themselves.

How much to add to mulled wine?

For 1 liter of drink, take 1–2 whole sticks or 3–4 buds of cloves.Also in red wine you need to add 300 ml of cherry and apple juice, 0.5 teaspoons of star anise and ginger, 1 teaspoon (or stick) of cinnamon and 30 ml of cognac. Citrus zest - to taste.

Before serving, mulled wine is heated for 20 minutes over low heat. But you can’t bring the wine to a boil.

How much to add to moonshine?

As a rule, only clove buds are added to strong alcoholic drinks. For 1 liter – 6–8 pieces.

The drink recipe also includes 1 tbsp. a spoonful of cinnamon and the chopped zest of 4 lemons. All ingredients must be added to the moonshine and left for 30 days.

How much to add to tea, compote?

The maximum amount for making tea is 2–3 buds per 250 ml of water. Otherwise, the drink will turn out bitter and tart.

When cooking compote, take 1 stick per liter. Add 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

How much to add to pilaf?

Some chefs believe that cloves should not be added to pilaf at all, since this dish requires a long heat treatment. Although you can find recipes on the Internet where this spice is present.

For pilaf, you usually take 1 stick or 1 teaspoon of spice. First, meat and onions are fried in a cauldron (frying pan). The cloves are added at the same time as the rice.

How much to add to meat and fish?

Maximum – 2 sticks or 3–4 buds per serving (150–200 g).

You cannot use the whole spice to fry meat over high heat, because at high temperatures all the bitterness goes into the oil, and the pleasant smell disappears.

How much to add to canned food and marinades?

One stalk per 3-liter jar will be enough. If you plan to roll vegetables in smaller containers, use only the buds. Take 1-2 pieces per liter.

When using cloves in the canning process, the amount of salt and vinegar can be slightly reduced.

To prepare mushroom marinades, you need 1–2 g of spice per 10 kg of mushrooms. In fruit and berry sauces, 3–4 g of seasoning is used per 10 liters of product.

How much to add to baked goods?

For 1 kg of dough add 0.5 teaspoons of dried spice. But if you plan to use other spices for baking, reduce the indicated amount by 2 times.

Health Benefits of Cloves

The spice, especially in its entirety, has a rich chemical composition. It contains a large amount of the following substances:

• vitamins B1, B2, B4, B5, B6;
• vitamin E;
• vitamin K;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• gland;
• manganese;
• Selena;
• zinc

Cloves improve the external condition of skin and hair, protect the body from cancer and slow down the aging process. When consumed regularly, it strengthens bones and supports brain and heart function. The spice is also useful for the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Thus, cloves deserve pride of place in your diet. It will improve the taste of hot dishes, desserts, drinks, and also help protect winter preparations from premature spoilage. When used in everyday life, the spice will disinfect the air and create a warm, joyful atmosphere in the room.