Indigenous to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia this spice along with nutmeg another endemic to the island spice were among the rarest and most sought after spices in the ancient world, both are still on the list of the most expensive spices to date. The clove spice is derived from the dried flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree, an evergreen that grows up to 12 meters or 36 feet in height. The buds must be harvested when they change from a green to a slightly pink color and before they turn completely pink and open.
Other names
- Syzygium aromaticum (Scientific)
Culinary use
It is plausible that clove made its way into Siamese cuisine through higher social classes or even royalty. The reason for this is its rarity and high price, that have probably positioned it as subject of interest and trade for those who could afford it in the distant past.
In more modern times when clove became more readily available across cuisines like Indian, Chinese or Persian it had influenced Siam through immigration and trade. Subsequently clove has been incorporated into recipes that have originated in these cuisines or paid them tribute. Some marquee examples include the use of five-spice blend in which clove is one of the ingredients, as well as dishes of Muslim influence such as Massaman curry.
Bottom line, your spice pantry isn’t complete without clove, and I personally use it quite often, but to be fair it is present in relatively a small subset of Thai dishes.
Thaifooding 