Lovely picture, Rahul ji. Some interesting extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bixa_orellana
*Achiote* (*Bixa orellana*) is a shrub <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub>or small tree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree> from the tropical region of the American continent <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_continent>. The name derives from the Nahuatl <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl> word for the shrub, *achiotl*. It is also known as *Aploppas*, and its original Tupi<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupi>name *urucu*. It is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia>, where it was introduced by the Spanish <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain>in the 17th century. It is best known as the source of the natural pigment annatto <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto>, produced from the fruit<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit>. The plant bears pink flowers and bright red spiny fruits which contain red seeds. The fruits dry and harden to brown capsules. The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contain annatto, also called *bixin.* It can be extracted by stirring the seeds in water. It is used to color food products, such as cheeses, fish, and salad oil. Sold as a paste or powder for culinary use, mainly as a color, it is known as "achiote," "annatto," "bijol," or "pimentão doce." It is a main ingredient in the Nicaraquan spice mixture recado rojo<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recado_rojo>, or "achiote paste." The seeds are ground and used as a subtly flavored and colorful additive in Latin American<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American>, Jamaican <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica> and Filipino cuisine<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_cuisine>. Annatto is growing in popularity as a natural alternative to synthetic food coloring <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_coloring> compounds. While it has a distinct flavor of its own, it can be used to color and flavor rice instead of the much more expensive saffron<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron>. It is an important ingredient of cochinita pibil<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochinita_pibil>, the spicy pork dish popular in Mexico. The achiote has long been used by American Indians<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas>to make body paint, especially for the lips, which is the origin of the plant's nickname, *lipstick tree.* 2009/2/4 Pravin Kawale <[email protected]> > Hi, > Bixa orellana > Lipstick tree,Shendari( Marathi) > Thanks > > You have been sent 1 picture. > > > DSC01785.JPG > > These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google. > Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/ > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
