Annatto seeds, otherwise known as achiote or poor man’s saffron, are used in Mexican, Caribbean, East Indian, and Filipino cuisines. In small amounts, annatto works as a food coloring but doesn’t impart much flavor. In larger amounts (but not too large or your dish will taste bitter), it has a slightly sweet, mild peppery, and woody/earthy seasoning. This spice, which comes from the tropical lipstick tree, has a slightly floral or peppermint aroma.

Cooking notes

• Whole annatto is extremely hard to grind, so make sure you have a high-quality and high-powered spice grinder.
• Be sure to store this spice in an airtight container away from light to preserve the flavor
• Since they are so hard, they don’t cook well in soups or other dishes. However, they are a fantastic natural food coloring agent.
• Use as a flavoring agent that you strain out before serving, like in bone broths and poultry dressing
• Will impart a rich yellow-orange color to the dish, and possibly also the pot it’s cooked in
• Combines well with cumin, garlic, and chile peppers