Cloves are dried flower buds gotten from the clove tree. They originated from Indonesia, where the locals use them to spice up their soups, rice, meats, and sauces. The name CLOVE comes from the Latino word CLAVUS, which is translated to mean a nail because the shape of a dried clove is similar to a human nail’s shape. Cloves have been proven to effectively treat obesity, oral health, cancer, and diabetes because of their high antioxidants. Scientists are carrying out more studies to discover other health benefits associated with old-time spice.
Cloves could come in two different forms; it could be whole or grounded, but our focus is on the ground clove because of its effectiveness in making mouthwatering dishes and traditional medicine. Clove is a commonly used spice all around the world, for several traditional delicacy and herbal food. This aromatic spice is also found in desserts such as cake, cookies, bars, and drinks such as cider or mulled wines.
At this point, you might be wondering what a ground clove taste like. You need not worry because if you are a nutmeg lover, you will most likely enjoy cloves’ pleasing taste. It has a warm and tongue-numbing quality closely related to nutmeg when you apply directly on your tongue. Clove has a strong taste and scent, which means just a little will go a long way in giving you that sharp, spicy taste. In essence, cloves are sharper than the cinnamon in taste and less floral compared to the cardamon.
If eaten in their raw form, cloves certainly have a bitter taste, but the good thing is that we do not have to eat cloves without cooking. It is always advisable to use clove sparingly as the flavor can be intense. When they are just removed from the spice rack, cloves possess a tough, dry, and brittle texture. To get the best out of your whole clove, you will have to pulverize them in a spice grinder to give you the powder form, also known as the ground clove. This ground clove, if properly processed, has a semi-fine texture with no visible particle.
Ground Clove Nutrition Facts:
However, a mortar and a pestle can be used to crush the needed quantity of clove while you prepare your dishes. The problem with this method is that it will leave tiny granules intact which are visible, giving the finished clove a grainy texture. With an extra sieve, you can easily take out the large and hard granules.
Uses in Other Recipes
Cloves serve different uses, ranging from herbal to flavor. But they add that spicy dimension to your main dishes and baked desserts. This is why chefs and bakers cherish cloves all around the globe for preparing the following recipes:
- Gingerbread
- Molasses Cookies
- Spice Cookies
- Apple Cake
- Pumpkin soup
- Puree and more…
Substitute for Ground Clove
While ground clove might be that one spice you do not want to miss when cooking or baking because of the flavor, it adds to your dish. You can always find a worthy substitute to fill in the loophole if your ground cloves are not available. Here are five spices that give you a similar flavor as that of the ground cloves and will not disrupt your dishes’ taste.
Equal Blend of Cinnamon and Nutmeg
The is a perfect substitute for ground cloves any day and time. When blended in equal proportion, these two spices work magic and give you the taste and fragrance of clove. You might fall in love with this smooth combo that you will consider sticking to it after that because your meal won’t turn out awfully.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
This is another substitute that has the flavor you get from cloves too. With many essential spices added to make this a Pumpkin pie spice, a go-to substitute. It has a hint of pumpkin, which in no way interferes with the recipe’s original taste. Should you taste the pumpkin popping up in your dishes, a pinch of nutmeg will help bring the needed balance.
Read More: Substitute for Ground Coriander
Mace
The maze is a perfect spice that is arguably referred to as the best substitute for ground cloves in many dishes. Some cooks describe its flavor as a magic in your food. Another advantage is that it allows the rice pudding to grow beyond a normal dessert.
The mace also works well with a blend of the pumpkin pie spice, giving you a fair natural flavor of ground cloves.
Cardamom
Another well-known substitute, but with a powerful essence. Cardamon gives you an authentic flavor and aroma, making it unique whether you are baking or making soups. Whenever you use this spice, the differences could be easily neglected because the absence of ground cloves flavor will be replaced by cardamon.
All Spice
Considered the ideal replacement for cloves, Allspice is a mixture of several spices. It has a nice and robust fragrance. The only difference is that cloves are more poignant, and you will have to use a minimal quantity. It is very compatible with cakes and cookies just as much as it works well as a substitute in soups, too, giving you a delicious dish.
Substitute for ground clove in Cookies
Cookies are crunchy and loved by many for their flavor. While ground clove is an integral part of the flavor, a perfect substitute in cookies will be the mixture of nutmeg and cinnamon, which contains antioxidants just like ground cloves.
Substitute for ground clove in Pumpkin pie
The pumpkin pie is a yummy snack with rich nutrients. The ground clove also adds to this delicious meal but can be easily replaced by the Pumpkin spice, which fits in just fine in the absence of cloves, giving you a cube of controlled blood sugar.
Substitute for ground clove in Gingerbread
The Gingerbread already has a lot of spice in it but lacks a major spice in the absence of ground clove with just a bite. A suitable substitute here will be the cardamon for a perfect gingerbread.
Substitute for ground clove in Recipes
Mace, Allspice, a blend of nutmeg, and cinnamon will fit perfectly into any recipe as a replacement for ground cloves.
Substitute for ground clove in Herbs
Herbs are a mainstay for ground cloves. But can be substituted by cardamom, which has similar health benefits to that of ground cloves.
FAQs
Are ground cloves the same as nutmeg?
No. Ground cloves give a peppery and sweet flavor closely related to that of nutmegs. While nutmeg gives you the flavor, they are not peppery.
How do I use ground cloves?
Ground cloves can be added to meat, rice dishes, and sauces as flavor. They make your dishes sweet with a perfect blend of other spices. They can be added to your locally brewed drinks. Because they are medicinal.
What is the benefit of ground cloves?
The benefits of ground cloves are enormous, ranging from reduced inflammation to reducing the risk of diseases like arthritis.
Conclusion
That is all on substitutes for ground cloves. I hope you can easily pick up a suitable replacement from the above list for your cuisines when you want to cook or bake them.