Achiote

A common ornamental plant here in Hawai'i, achiote (Bixa orellana) has been a friend of cacao for a long time, maybe thousands of years. The achiote we planted a couple of years ago in the dappled light under a coconut tree has become a beautiful bushy tree, blooming happy pink blossoms and offering vivid red fruits. I’m enjoying this opportunity to get to know this cool plant.

You might recognize the achiote tree by other names. Achiote gives us the natural color annatto, which often appears on ingredient lists for orange colored foods like Goldfish crackers, Cheetos, and dairy products. I first encountered the fuzzy red fruits at a local food event in Puna, where people introduced it as the lipstick tree. Why lipstick? The arils around the seeds yield a bright orange-red pigment, due high amounts of the fat-soluble carotenoid molecule bixin. The arils themselves are thick like a salve and are the perfect consistency to use for lipstick. Just squeeze a seed and spread the color on your lips, cheeks, and hair.

Achiote aril is also known for its health benefits, as you would expect for such a deeply colorful fruit. The leaves make a healthful tea. (Since starting to study herbalism, I’m reluctant to share herbal info not from my own experience. And you can look up internet-info as well as I can.) The tea has a pleasant flavor: a bit grassy with a hint of the earthy spice of the arils. Distantly related to the mallows, the tea has a slightly thick, velvety feel, like hibiscus or cacao leaf.

Some traditional savory foods from Central and South America, Africa, and the Philippines call for achiote, which mostly lends color but has a slight nut and spice flavor. Some traditional chocolate recipes also benefit from achiote.

Mesoamericans associated cacao and blood because of similar properties of coagulation and because cacao is beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Cacao reddened with achiote was used as a symbol for blood in Mesoamerican ceremony. I recently learned from the Mayan Wisdom Project that an ancient Mayan drawing typically interpreted as a pool of blood was actually a pool of achiote-colored chocolate, as identified in the accompanying Mayan hieroglyphics.

The most common chocolate drink that features achiote is tascalate, a Mexican spiced maize and cacao drink served chilled. Generally achiote paste or powder is used, but (in my experience) the color of the fresh seeds is more vibrant.

Although oil extraction or suspension is common, I have been simply extracting in water.

1. Remove the achiote seeds from the pod a place in a boil.

2. Add a bit of warm water and use your fingers to massage the red arils off of the light-color seeds.

3. Strain the seeds and discard. Use the liquid to cook rice, stews, or drinking chocolate.

At the last Hakalau Farmer’s Market, I offered a warm achiote chocolate drink inspired by a drinking chocolate recipe from 1631. It included star anise, vanilla, and cinnamon. The original recipe called for almonds and hazelnuts, but I substituted macadamia nut butter.

Do you grow or cook with achiote? Tell us about your experiences in the comments.

Cooler temperatures transform my kitchen into a chocolaterie! If you are interested in local, healthy, delicious gift for yourself or someone on your holiday list, I would be delighted to make you some chocolate! Please contact me for a price list.

Are you looking for a fun activity for visiting family or holiday get-together? I am offering in person chocolate experiences at my place in Hakalau (Hawai'i Island) for up to six guests. Come learn about processing cacao on a small scale, and taste a variety of artisanal chocolate confections.

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Mahalo piha for reading!