One Nutmeg Fruit and Two Spices

I have written, briefly, before about Mace and Nutmeg. I want to go a little deeper here, since my only previous link is to my Indian Spice Drawer Series. I have seen mace blades in some few Indian recipes, yet rarely nutmeg. 

The Two are One

Both Mace and Nutmeg are found in the same fruit. The tree is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Molucca Spice Islands of Indonesia, and widely grown across the tropics including China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Grenada (in the Caribbean), Kerala (in India), Sri Lanka and in South America. The tree produces smooth yellow ovoid fruit resembling a large apricot, 2½ to 3½ inches long. The fruit has a fleshy husk that when ripe, splits open along a natural ridge and exposes a purple-brown, shiny seed (the nutmeg) with a red lacy covering called an aril (the mace). The fleshy fruit itself is candied or pickled as snacks in Malaysia. The nutmeg tree grew and flourished in Grenada, where it is the national symbol emblazoned on the country's flag.

The seed and aril are removed and allowed to dry until the seed rattles inside the aril "cage," and then the two are split to be used separately. The seed/nutmeg, is still inside a woody shell that will be removed before using. Neither spice is classified as a nut, so are not problematic for those with nut allergies.

Nutmeg, Mace and  Health

I am not endorsing either side of this issue. Just to be clear. I just want to present the current beliefs as found online.

At one time Nutmeg was fashionable as a hallucinogenic, prized for making one feel as if floating; and myristicin and safrole, the main components of nutmeg's essential oil, have psychoactive properties and can cause a "high" feeling. Today, cautions abound, claiming "nutmeg can cause serious symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, nausea, disorientation, vomiting and agitation (from www.healthline.com)." In truth, very large amounts would have to be ingested for these symptoms to become apparent. Using nutmeg in cooking, where the maximum use in one whole recipe is generally not much more than a half-teaspoon, would not be enough to cause problems. In an article from www.bulletproof.com it states one would have to consume 5 grams of nutmeg with 1 - 2 mg of myristicin to be considered toxic. 

One 5 g nutmeg equals 4 teaspoons ground

I went straight to the kitchen and weighed the largest of the whole nutmegs I had on hand, each weighing in at 5 grams. I then took one of those two 5 gram nutmegs and grated all of it. Once grated, the single nutmeg yielded 4 whole teaspoons of nutmeg. When a recipe for a cake calls for a half-teaspoon of nutmeg, and the cake is going to serve 10 or more people, the toxicity is so low as to be nonexistent. A small sprinkling on your eggnog at Holiday time is certainly only a fraction of a gram. For me? No worries. 

There are also many claims to health benefits from nutmeg (not much is said of mace). There is a long history of using nutmeg to relieve chronic pain, also praised for its antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, pain relieving, liver-protecting and cancer-preventing properties (from www.verywellfit.com). 

Best Peach Crisp Ever

I choose not to get too excited, much less fearful, when people use amounts like a half-teaspoon and say that much can be toxic. I repeat: a half teaspoon is generally the amount used in an entire recipe, not what one will consume - by themselves - at one sitting. Who in the world would eat an entire half teaspoon of nutmeg, much less 4 teaspoons of nutmeg in one go? Certainly not me, no matter how much I love the flavor.

The Flavors of Nutmeg and Mace

The flavors are markedly different between nutmeg and mace. Mace is more pungent, a bit "spicier" or sharp. What I most often associate with mace is the strong flavor in store-bought stuffing mixes. For many years I could not stand mace, just because of that flavor. I now make my own stuffing and have even begun to add in a small amount of mace - just never enough to jump out and grab you. 

Apple Fritter Loaf

Nutmeg has a more warm and piquant flavor and aroma and is most often used in baked goods or over eggnog. The aroma and flavor of freshly ground nutmeg is amazing. Pre-ground nutmeg loses its beautiful flavor and aroma when left for more than three months, and chances are good that it was setting on the store shelf for longer than that. These days, whole nutmegs are available at most grocery stores. There is no longer an excuse to using the best quality. 

Using Nutmeg in the Kitchen

Garam Masala Ingredients with Nutmeg

All fearmongering aside, nutmeg plays a large part in my kitchen, and I use it with a fairly free hand, grating the amount I need  from the whole nutmeg on a small spice grater at the moment it is needed. I love nutmeg with peach flavors, as in my Best Peach Crisp, Ever, and certainly with apples, whether in a pie or in my Best Apple Crisp, Ever. I use a pinch in Bread Pudding, the syrup for Apple Dumplings, Apple Fritter Loaf, 
Pumpkin Nut Loaf, Banana Cake with Broiled Topping, Fresh Apple Cake, and possibly other things that do not come to mind just now. It is a component of my favorite Garam Masala, which does use a whole nutmeg ground into it, but that is a small part of the overall recipe.

Using Mace in the Kitchen

Mace Blades

Mace is used in some Indian masala mixtures, such as Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix, and as mentioned, I do use it in my Better than Mom's Stuffing recipe.

I hope you will find new ways to use Nutmeg and Mace in your Kitchen!

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

My Indian Spice Drawer Part 3

Nutmeg Components

Continuing with the spices in my own collection, ones that may be used for many other cooking or baking applications but are also very much on the list for Indian cooking, this is installment 3. 

Herbs and spices are an integral part of getting flavors right in a recipe. Herbs are defined as the leaves or plant parts of an annual plant that does not develop woody stems. That leaves a lot open to interpretation. In my own parlance, herbs are most often the leaves of a plant, including stems if they are non-woody. Spices, however, are any part of the rest of a plant, be it stem, bark, root, flower, fruit or seed. This spice category encompasses things like Mango Powder (dried, unripe mango fruits, ground to powder), nutmeg arils, called Mace (see picture above), ginger or turmeric rhizomes, cinnamon or cassia bark, and all the myriad "seeds" (which in many cases are fruits, themselves: peppercorns, cumin, caraway, etc.).

In these pages of spices and definitions, keep in mind that the amount of any spice shown in my photos is one tablespoon. One exception: Indian Bay Leaves, which are far too big and long to fit into a tablespoon! 

Mace Blades

Mace Blades 

(The nutmeg seed's Aril) 

(Myristica fragrans)

Native to the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Mace is the aril, or lacy seed covering, for nutmeg. The nutmeg fruits are dried and split, and the seed with its aril is removed and separated, and once dried, the mace aril turns orange. Nutmeg and mace, being the same plant, have similarities in flavor, but are not identical. Mace is more often used in savory dishes, while nutmeg is more often used in sweet applications, though it can be used in either. When the mace is dried and sold, the pieces break apart and are called mace “blades.” Used more often in southern Indian dishes, it is also sometimes added to local spice mixtures. 

Some Indian names for Mace you may encounter: Javitri

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Mango Powder

Mango Powder

Dried Mango Powder, or Amchur, is prepared from unripe mangoes that are harvested, peeled, thinly sliced and dried before grinding. The resultant powder is used most often in northern Indian recipes as a fruity souring agent, where in south India, tamarind would be more often used. Amchur is usually used in place of lemon or lime, and these can be substituted is amchur is not available. Use Amchur in anything that can use a little tartness or zip, such as dals, curries, breads, soups and Indian “pickles.” (See an example of an Indian "pickle" here.)

Some Indian names for Mango Powder you may encounter: Amchur, Amchoor, Aamchur

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Mustard Seed, Brown / Black 

Brown Mustard Seed

(Brassica juncea / Brassica nigra)

Native to North Africa, parts of Europe and Asia, Mustard Seeds (family Brassicaceae), are very tiny. Brown (interchangeable with Black) Mustard Seeds are the kind most often seen in Indian dishes and have a greater potency of flavor than lighter varieties. As mustard seeds are an anti-microbial, they are often included in pickles, chutneys and other preserved foods. Brown or black Mustard Seeds are another of the Bombay Five-Spice mixture, Panch Phoron. Used whole, if not dry toasted first, the most common way to use these seeds is sautéing in hot oil until they pop and crackle to release their nutty flavors.  

Some Indian names for Brown Mustard Seed you may encounter: Rai, Raai, Sarson, Shorshe

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Yellow Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed, Yellow 

(Brassica alba or Sinapsis alba)

Yellow Mustard Seeds are slightly larger in size than the brown or black mustard seeds, but slightly less pungent. They have a milder flavor and good preservative qualities. If a milder flavor is desired, then the Yellow Mustard Seeds may be used in place of the more common brown mustard seeds. These yellow variety are the ones used to make the U.S.'s “hot dog mustard.” The yellow seeds are seen more often in northern Indian cooking. 

Some Indian names for Yellow Mustard Seed you may encounter: Sarson, Kadugu

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Nigella Seed

Nigella (Onion Seed, Charnushka)

(Nigella sativa)

The genus Nigella is a diminutive of the Latin ‘Niger,’ meaning black. Of the family Ranunculaceae, these seeds are native to south and southwest Asia. Often confusedly named Black Cumin, these two types of seed are not the same and do not taste at all alike. Nigella, sometimes called “onion seed,” is not onion seed either, but has a slight onion/pepper/oregano flavor. Nigella seeds are another of the Bengali Five-Spice, Panch Phoron. These seeds are pungent and bitter and often used dry roasted and added to salads, vegetables, potato, curry or dal recipes, flatbreads, samosas, chutneys.

Some Indian names for Nigella you may encounter: Kalonji, Calonji, Mangerella

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Nutmeg

Nutmeg 

(Myristica fragrans)

Native to the Spice Islands of Indonesia and also grown in Kerala, India, Nutmeg is the seed of the nutmeg fruit. The seed is surrounded by a red aril, which once removed and dried, turns orange and becomes the spice, Mace. Used most often in northern Indian Mughul cuisine, and often a component of Garam Masala, Nutmeg is also used in some meat dishes in Kerala, it is often added to Sabzi (vegetable or greens dishes). Once ground, nutmeg loses its flavor quickly. As the seeds are soft enough for very easy grating, always keep the whole Nutmeg seeds in your spice cabinet, to grate just when needed. 

Some Indian names for Nutmeg you may encounter: Jaiphul, Jaiphal

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Black Peppercorns

Peppercorns, Black 

(Piper nigrum)

Black Pepper is native to Kerala in southwest India and is extensively cultivated there and in other tropical regions. Black Pepper is known worldwide and the most commonly used spice. Pepper is considered a drupe, or stone fruit. The outer fruit, fermented in place in black pepper, also contains its own citrusy, woodsy and floral flavors and aromas, missing from white pepper, which is just black peppercorns with this outer fruit layer removed. Black Pepper imparts a spicy heat in any dish and is used in most Indian curries.

Some Indian names for Black Pepper you may encounter: Kali Mirch

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Pomegranate Seed, Dried

Pomegranate Seed, Dried

(Punica granatum) 


Pomegranates originated in the region extending from modern-day Iran to northern India and are cultivated throughout the Mediterranean. In Indian cooking, Dried Pomegranate arils are used as a souring agent, similarly to tamarind in the south and mango powder (amchur) in the north. These dried Pomegranate seed arils can be used either whole or ground in chutneys and in things such as dal recipes and choles, curries, raitas.

Some Indian names for Dried Pomegranate Arils you may encounter: Anardana, Daan, Dalimb, Dalimbari, Dadima, Mathalam Pazham

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White Poppy Seed

White Poppy Seed 

(Papaver somniferum)

White Poppyseed and blue/black poppyseed come from the opium poppy, though the latex used for opium is long gone by the time the seed pods are ripened. White poppy seeds are more often used in Indian cooking, where the seeds are ground and added to some sauces or used whole. Blue poppy seeds may be substituted, though the color may conflict with the color of the Indian food being prepared. Blue poppy seeds are more often used in Western cuisines, in pastries, or as toppings. White poppy seeds are smaller than blue poppy seeds, though both are tough and more easily ground if soaked first, and then ground with a poppy seed grinder.

Some Indian names for White Poppy Seed you may encounter: Khus Khus, Khas Khas, Posto

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Kashmiri Saffron

Saffron

(Crocus sativus L.)

Probably first cultivated in or near Greece, Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, and is the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus. The price is due to the need for each flower to be picked and the three stigmas removed, all by hand. A pound of saffron can contain from 70,000 to 200,000 threads. Look for saffron that is the most consistently deep dark red. The yellow "threads" found mixed into many grades are the stile, meaning less care was taken when separating the flowers, stigmas and stile, lowering quality. Saffron exudes coloring that is a bright golden yellow to yellow orange. It is used often in Indian cuisines and makes a most lovely saffron rice. Beware of fake "saffron," which is the petals of the safflower, or Mexican "saffron," which is a marigold's petals. Neither of these will give the flavor and color of true saffron.

Some Indian names for Saffron you may encounter: Kesar, Zafran, Kapharan



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.