How to use whole cloves: 6 easy ways

Whole cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree: small, dark brown and shaped like tiny nails. They smell sweet, sharp and almost peppery, and the taste is strong and numbing on the tongue. They are one of the first spices you smell in a pot of pilau.

How much to use

Use 3 to 4 cloves for a pot of rice or a pot of stew for four people, and 1 or 2 in a cup of chai. They are strong, so more is not better. Fish the cloves out before serving, or warn people, since biting into one is unpleasant.

Ways to use it

1. Pilau and spiced rice. Fry 3 or 4 cloves in the oil with the onions until the smell rises, then add the rice and stock.
2. Chai. Drop 1 or 2 cloves into the pot with the tea leaves, milk and a few cardamom pods.
3. Stews and soups. Add 2 or 3 cloves to the pot with the meat. They flavour the whole pot slowly.
4. Studded onion. Press 3 cloves into a peeled onion and drop it in a pot of stock or beans, then lift it out at the end.
5. Baked fruit and ham. Press a few cloves into the skin of a baked apple, an orange or a roast, and remove them before serving.
6. Spiced drinks. Simmer 2 or 3 cloves with cinnamon and slices of orange or ginger for a warm drink in the rainy season.

Keeping it fresh

Whole cloves keep their flavour much longer than ground spices. Store them in a closed jar in a cool, dry cupboard, away from light. They stay good for a year or two. If they smell faint, they are past their best.

Which pack to choose

You need only a few cloves at a time, so the 50g pack goes a long way. Choose the 100g pack if you cook pilau every week or run a small food business.

Next step: Add it to your order in the shop, or ask Glow on WhatsApp which pack suits you.