If you love cloves, you must try these recipes
What's the story
Known for their warm, sweet and slightly bitter flavor, cloves are a versatile spice. In fact, they are used in several cuisines around the world to enhance the taste of dishes. Here are five aromatic vegetarian dishes that bring out the unique flavor of cloves. Each dish demonstrates how cloves can make simple ingredients taste out of this world, giving you a delightful experience.
Flavorful rice
Spiced vegetable biryani
Spiced vegetable biryani is a fragrant rice dish that adds depth and warmth with cloves. The cloves are usually sautéed with onions, garlic, and ginger before adding vegetables like carrots, peas, and potatoes. The rice is then cooked with these spices until it absorbs all the flavors. Garnished with fresh coriander leaves, this dish is served with yogurt or raita on the side.
Warming soup
Clove-infused lentil soup
Lentil soup infused with cloves makes for a comforting meal option. For this recipe, lentils are simmered with onions, tomatoes, and spices, including cloves, until tender. The cloves add a subtle warmth that goes well with the earthiness of the lentils. Enjoy this soup as a starter or pair it with bread for a wholesome meal.
Spiced beverage
Aromatic chai tea
Aromatic chai tea is an Indian drink where cloves contribute significantly to the signature taste of the beverage. Black tea leaves are brewed with spices like cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ginger slices, and whole cloves in milk or water. The rich blend of flavors makes chai tea invigorating and soothing both at the same time.
Sweet delight
Clove-scented apple compote
Clove-scented apple compote is an easy-to-make dessert that highlights this spice's aromatic qualities perfectly well when paired with apples' natural sweetness. Apples are peeled then cooked down slowly over low heat along with sugar (or honey), lemon juice, and whole clove buds until soft yet still holding shape. Serve warm atop pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.
Exotic stew
Moroccan tagine with vegetables
A Moroccan tagine with vegetables has whole clove buds in it, along with other traditional North African spices, like cumin seeds and coriander powder. The spices develop complex layers in every bite of the stew-like consistency obtained through slow-cooking. Wouldn't a couscous pilaf make a perfect companion?