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Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) are an unopened flower bud from an Indonesian tree. They are used as a spice in food dishes, and also have medicinal and household uses.[1] Every pantry should have fresh cloves and ground cloves on stand-by for various uses.
Steps
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1Use cloves to flavour food. Cloves have a strong, spicy flavour with a warm to hot taste. A very little goes a long way in food. Some examples of using cloves in food include:[2]
- Fruit pies. Typically, they are added to apple pies and they can also be added to other fruit pies that need a warm, spicy flavour.
- Relishes, chutneys, and pickles. Cloves make a spicy addition to many of these condiments.
- Poke them into a ham.
- Add crushed or ground cloves to cakes and desserts requiring a warm, spicy flavour.
- Use cloves in Indian cuisine. Cloves are a popular addition to many curry dishes and to biryani.
- Make coffee figs with cloves.
- Use them with pumpkin and squash dishes; the cloves complement the flavours of these fruit vegetables well.
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2Make drinks with cloves.[3] Cloves make a tasty addition to various winter style drinks such as mulled wine and warm cider. You might also like to try:
- Orange, cinnamon and clove mead
- Hot spiced cranberry cider
- Wassail
- Spiced tea
- A little powdered cloves with 70% dark chocolate and heavy cream. Add hot milk or water and stir well.
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3Use cloves in the household. There are numerous uses for cloves in the household, from shooing away pests, to creating a lovely fragrance in the home. Some ideas for use include:[4]
- Get rid of your house flies using cloves
- Make a clove pomander
- Drawer liners with clove oil
- Removing the odour of mothballs with cloves.
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4Use cloves to help stop the pain from a toothache temporarily. Bite on a few cloves before you can get to the dentist, to alleviate pain.[5] Be sure not to swallow them!
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5Finished.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionWill someone with a tree nut allergy have an adverse reaction to cloves?
Community AnswerNo, cloves are not nuts and are safe for people with tree nut allergies. -
QuestionHow many cloves should be used for a 3 pound ham?
Community AnswerUse about two and a half tablespoons ground up and rubbed into the crevices of the the ham. It adds a lovely aromatic flavor that's absolutely superb. -
QuestionHow do you make ground cloves?
Community AnswerGet some regular cloves and microwave them so they become hard; the other way is fry them in the pan. When they cool, crush them. -
QuestionWhat amount of cloves are needed for a hot drink?Community Answer1 - 2 for a mug of hot drink is enough to impart its taste. Cloves are used in limited quantities, as they are hot in nature (garam taseer).
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QuestionCan I put ground cloves in a pot roast?Community AnswerYes, you can! Go gently, though, as cloves are very aromatic. Try a little cardamom along with cloves, garlic, and black pepper for a savory mix. For an average pot roast, about 2 pounds in size, use 1/2 teaspoon each, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Rub the mixture into the meat and sprinkle with worcestershire sauce. Cook according to directions and enjoy.
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QuestionCan cloves help me lose weight?Community AnswerNo. Weight loss can only achieved by eating at a caloric deficit.
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QuestionDo cloves and gin go together?
Community AnswerNo, I would not mix cloves and gin. I think cloves would be better in a warm Apple Schnapps if you were looking for an adult beverage. -
QuestionCan someone be allergic to cloves?Community AnswerYes, it's possible.
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QuestionCan I use cloves in a homemade aromatherapy with peppermint?Community AnswerAbsolutely. Cloves would combine very well with peppermint for aromatherapy.
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QuestionI am sensitive to spicy foods. Can I eat cloves?Community AnswerThat depends on what you mean by "spicy". The compounds that make hot peppers spicy are not found in cloves; however, cloves are similar to cinnamon and ginger, if that's what you mean. Even if you aren't sensitive to cloves, they taste very strong and you should not use very much at once.
Warnings
- Be very careful when using clove oil. It should not be used in large amounts because it can have unpredictable effects. It contains eugenol, which can damage your health (it is a weak tumor promoter).[7]Thanks!
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Things You'll Need
- Fresh cloves
- Clove oil
References
- ↑ https://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-cloves.html
- ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/seasonings/spices/best-cloves-recipes
- ↑ https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coffee-with-cinnamon-and-cloves/
- ↑ https://www.naturallivingideas.com/cloves-uses/
- ↑ https://everydayroots.com/clove-toothache-remedy
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3769004/
- ↑ https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2017/ra/c7ra04803c
- https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/clove-tea-cocktails-2005
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