Nutmeg

Flavour and aroma

warm, sweet, woody, slightly bitter. Warm, sweet, woody.

Heat

No heat

Forms

whole, ground

How to use it

• grind · Dry grinding technique

  Grate fresh on a fine grater just before use; a few gratings are enough for a dish.

• dry roast · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) technique

  For garam masala, break into pieces and warm with the other whole spices over low heat for 1 minute, then grind.

• Béchamel, cheese sauces and creamed spinach
• Custards, eggnog and cakes
• Garam masala and biryani
• Mashed potatoes and pumpkin dishes
• Dutch and Caribbean stews

Identifying good quality

Oval, hard, brown seeds 2–3 cm long with a net-like surface. Whole nutmegs should feel heavy; pricking one with a pin should release a little oil.

• Not to be confused with Mace: Mace is the red lacy covering of the same seed; finer and more delicate.

Origin and history

Origin: The Banda Islands in the Moluccas, Indonesia.. Grown and used: Grown in Indonesia, Grenada, India (Kerala) and Sri Lanka..

Nutmeg and mace came only from the tiny Banda Islands until the 18th century. The Dutch East India Company seized the islands by force in 1621 to control the trade. In India nutmeg (jaiphal) is used in small amounts in garam masala, Mughlai dishes and sweets.

Well documented

In masalas, pastes and sauces

• Punjabi garam masalaMasala3 g per batch
• Mughlai (shahi) garam masalaMasala4 g per batch
• Kerala (Malabar) garam masalaMasala2 g per batch
• Biryani masalaMasala2 g per batch
• Chole masalaMasala1 g per batch
• Malvani masalaMasala1 g per batch
• Xacuti masalaMasala0.5 g per batch
• Massaman curry pasteMasala0.5 g per batch
• Berbere spice blendMasala1 g per batch
• Ras el hanoutMasala2 g per batch
• Baharat (Lebanese seven spice)Masala3 g per batch
• Jamaican jerk paste (wet jerk)Masala1 g per batch
• Ragù alla bolognese with tagliatelleSauce0.3 g per batch
• Béchamel sauceSauce0.3 g per batch
• Sauce MornaySauce0.3 g per batch
• Bread sauceSauce0.3 g per batch