Clove

Botanical Name -> Syzygium Aromaticum

Family -> Myrtaceae

Hindi Name: Lavang

General Description ->Cloves are the rich, brown, dried, unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree in the myrtle family.  

Geographical Sources -> Cloves come from Madagascar, Brazil, Panang, Ceylon, Indonesia and India. 

Composition -> The full grown unopened flower buds, are picked green and dried in the sun till they become dark brown to form the commercial clove. Clove is very aromatic, has a fine flavor and imparts warming qualities. 

Taste and Aroma: Cloves are strong, pungent, and sweet. 

Method of Processing -> The fully grown unopened buds are picked in clusters by hand when the buds have reached their size and most of them have developed a pronounced pink flush, but none of the petals have yet fallen to expose the stamens. They are then dried in the sun till they become dark brown to form the commercial clove  

Traditional Ethnic Uses: Cloves are used whole in studding, in pickling fruits, spicy sweets, syrups and in stew and meat gravies. Groud cloves are delighful in baked goods and desserts, especially in chocolate mixtures. Cloves enhance sweet vegetable such as beets, sweet potatoes, boiled oninons and winter squash.