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Just cook it up!

PHOTO: K. K. MUSTAFAH

FINE AROMA Cloves

Cloves are an ancient spice and because of their exceptional aroma, have always been held in high esteem by cooks in Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Cloves are the immature unopened flower buds of a tropical tree. When fresh, they are pink but become rust-brown in colour after they are dried. Measuring 12-16 mm, they resemble small nails with a tapered stem. The large end of a clove is a four-pointed flower bud. They have a sweetly pungent flavour.

Traditional Chinese physicians have long used cloves to treat indigestion, diarrhoea, hernia and ringworm, as well as athlete’s foot and other fungal infections. India’s Ayurvedic healers have used cloves since ancient times to treat respiratory and digestive ailments. Medieval German herbalists used cloves as part of anti-gout mixture. Early American eclectic physicians used cloves to treat digestive complaints. They were also the first to extract clove oil, which they used on the gums to relieve toothache. A few drops of oil in water will stop vomiting and an infusion will relieve nausea. Contemporary herbalists recommend cloves for digestive complaints and its oil for toothache. Cloves have a powerful local antiseptic and mild anaesthetic action. Eating cloves is said to be aphrodisiac

Cloves can easily overpower a dish, particularly when ground, so only a few need be used. Whole cloves are often used to “stud” hams and pork, pushing the tapered end into the meat like a nail. They are used in a number of spice mixtures, including curry powders and pickling spices. Cloves figure in the flavour of Worcestershire sauce. They enjoy popularity in North Africa and the Middle East where they are generally used in meat dishes. Rice too is often aromatised with a few cloves.

Now, for a recipe

Ingredients

Flour: 2 cups

Ground clove: quarter tsp

Salt: one-eighth tsp

Butter or margarine: three-fourth cup

(one-and-a-half sticks), softened

Granulated sugar: 1 cup

Egg: 1

Pure lemon extract: half tsp

Lemon glaze

Confectioner’s sugar: one-and-a-half cups

Water: 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp

Pure lemon extract: quarter tsp

Method: Mix flour, cloves and salt in

a medium-sized bowl; set aside. Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon extract; beat until well blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is well mixed. Divide the dough into half. Form each half into a log about one-and-a-half-inches in diameter and 9 inches long. Wrap it in wax paper. Refrigerate it for an hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Cut the dough into quarter-inch thick slices. Place the slices on un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool the cookies on baking sheets for one minute. Place them on wire racks and allow them to cool completely. For the lemon glaze, mix confectioner’s sugar, water and lemon extract in a small bowl till well blended. Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Let it stand till glaze is set.

PRADEEP PRASANNAN

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