Ingredients
Cloves
- 1 kgfresh unopened clove buds
- or buy dried whole cloves
Equipment
- drying mats or trays
- a dry airy place
- an airtight jar
Used in
- pilaou, Comorian spiced rice
- meat and fish stews
- spiced tea and coffee
- cakes and sweets
Directions
- Keep clove oil well away from children. Never swallow it or give it to a child.
- Pick the buds when they turn pink. They should still be tightly closed. Pick them by hand in clusters. Spread the buds thinly on mats.
- Set the drying mats out in full sun. Turn and rake them several times a day.
- Bring them all indoors at night. Judging the drying takes a test. Let them cool completely first. Put them into an airtight jar.
- Keep them away from light and heat. Whole cloves keep their oil for a year. Add them whole rather than ground. Add them early so they infuse slowly.
- Fry them briefly in oil first if you like. Do not let any of them burn at all.
- Press a clove with a fingernail. Oil should come to the surface. Dry papery cloves are old and weak.
Technique
- Cloves contain eugenol; whole cloves in cooking are entirely safe, but concentrated clove oil is toxic if swallowed, has poisoned young children in small amounts and can cause serious liver damage, so keep it away from children.
- The clove is an unopened flower bud picked before it opens, since an opened bud is worthless, and the timing of that harvest is the whole skill.
- Whole cloves keep their oil for a year while ground cloves lose it within weeks, and ground clove is often made from lower grades, which is why they are bought and stored whole.
Substitutions
- Bought whole dried cloves are the same product and need no drying.
- Allspice gives a related but milder warmth if cloves are too strong.
Variations
- Clove stems are dried and sold separately as a lower grade.
- Cloves go into pilaou, stews, tea, coffee and sweets across the Comoros.
- Ylang ylang and vanilla are the islands’ other famous crops.
History
Anjouan and Moheli are among the world’s main clove producers, and the buds are dried on mats beside village roads.
Frequently asked questions
What is Girofle des Comores?
Girofle des Comores is a sauce & condiment from Comoros: dried clove buds used whole in pilaou and spiced dishes. Anjouan and Moheli are among the world’s main clove producers, and the buds are dried on mats beside village roads.
How long does Girofle des Comores take to make?
Girofle des Comores takes 20 minutes of preparation and 3 to 5 days drying of cooking. The recipe makes makes 200 g dried cloves. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Girofle des Comores?
Yes, within limits. Bought whole dried cloves are the same product and need no drying. Allspice gives a related but milder warmth if cloves are too strong.
What is the most important thing to get right in Girofle des Comores?
Keep clove oil well away from children. Never swallow it or give it to a child.
