All About Allspice | Know Your Spice Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
Allspice or kababchini – dried berries & leaves
All About Allspice | Know Your Spice Allspice (Pimenta dioica) or Kabab Chini | Health Benefits of Allspice – Allspice comes from an evergreen tree from the Myrtle family that only grows in tropical climates. The Pimenta dioica can grow to over 30ft high.
Kabab Chini tree has small white blossom & six-inch long aromatic green leaves. The trees fruit at 3-5 years & allspice is the spice made from its dried but unripe green berries.
Allspice is popularly used in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cuisines to flavour desserts, side dishes, main courses, and beverages.
What is the nutrition value & benefits of Allspice?
Allspice is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. As a result, allspice is considered to have got therapeutic qualities.
Allspice leaves are also used for flavouring just like bay leaves are used.
Allspice is low in Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is a good source of Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Calcium and Manganese.
This leads to the fact that there are significant health benefits of allspice. Below are some of the popular health benefits of allspice.
Allspice also contains capsaicin, a compound found in peppers that has been shown to have a wide range of health benefits.
What is the Dietary Usage of Allspice or Kabab Chini
A single teaspoon of allspice contains: Calories: 5. Protein: Less than 1 gram. Fat: Less than 1 gram.
What is the Allspice history & story?
The Mayans were known to use Allspice as an embalming agent & to add flavour to chocolate.
Allspice was documented by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage to the New World in 1493 and named by Dr. Diego Chanca.
Allspice was native to Jamaica and was mistaken to be pepper (which was what Christopher Columbus was looking for) and brought back to Spain.
The Europeans thought it combined the flavors of several spices and they introduced it into European and Mediterranean cuisines and hence the name too.
But, it wasn’t until 1621 that the British named the berry “Allspice”, due to its strong aromatic flavour & combined aromas of Cloves, Pepper, Cinnamon & Nutmeg.
What are the uses of Allspice?
The major use of allspice is in food industry (65 to 70%) in domestic (Indian) use (5% to 10%), production of berry oil (20% to 25%), extraction of oleoresin (1% to 2%) and pharmaceutical and perfume industry.
Berry, berry oil, oleoresin, leaf oil are products of economic use. It is used mostly in Western cooking and is considered to be less suitable for Eastern cooking.
Allspice has medicinal, anti-microbial, insecticidal, nematicidal, anti-oxidant and deodorant properties.
Allspice can be used whole or ground into a powder. The powder remains good for nearly 6 months while whole, it may last as long as 1 year.
Allspice or kabab chini – dried berries & leaves
What are the taste profile of Allspice?
Allspice combines the flavours of pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. It is be used for many purposes that those warm spices are used, or as a substitute for them.
Allspice provides an exclusive taste to each dish in which is included. Some examples are – seasonings, tomato sauce, lamb or pork marinade, stews, barbecue and also desserts.
How long does allspice last?
You can most likely use allspice even after a year, but it might lose some of its rich flavor and taste, which will naturally impact your dish.
How can I store allspice?
Allspice loses its flavor and fragrance quickly. So, it’s best to store allspice in its whole form under refrigeration. Allspice powder needs to be store in an airtight glass container, however,
Allspice powder loses its potency rapidly. It is best to use it as quickly as possible.
How can I make allspice powder at home?
Allspice or kabab chini powder from berries is easy to make. Just roast & grind kabab chini in a pepper grinder or a spice grinder and you are done.
Is there a substitute for Allspice?
If you can’t find whole allspice, you can mix equal parts ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves together and use it in your recipe. Store any unused powder in an airtight container under refrigeration.
What do you use allspice for?
Allspice is used both in cooking and in baking. You can add whole allspice berries to meat such as beef or lamb, as you would slices of garlic or whole cloves.
If you want to mellow the taste of allspice berries a bit, cook them before you use them as seasoning.
Allspice is used in savory dishes and sweet dishes all over the world. Because of its delicate flavour profile include it in the final stages of the recipe.
Applications of allspice include in making seasonings, to flavor meat and seafood, in vegetables and fruits, to enhance the flavor and aroma of bread and other baked goods. It is also used in salad dressings, pickle blends, and even drinks.
What are the health benefits of allspice? Benefits of Kabab Chini
- Health benefits of allspice as an carminative – It can relieve gas, bloating, and stomach upset. Its eugenol may ease diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, and even constipation.
- Health benefits of kabab chini as an antioxidants – The spice’s many antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties that may ease cramps and aid digestion.
- Health benefits of allspice as an anesthetic and analgesic – Anesthetic and analgesic properties of Allspice can help to ease pain and relax muscles.
- Health benefits of kabab chini in menopause –Compounds in allspice may relieve menopause symptoms by helping to balance estrogen and progesterone levels.
- Health benefits of allspice in preventing infection – Allspice many contain compounds that could help prevent bacterial infections. In some studies, eugenol has also shown antiseptic and antifungal properties.
- Health benefits of kabab chini as a immunity booster – Allspice helps boost immunity with the help of its antibacterial activity that is pretty effective against a number of stomach bacteria like E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica.
- Health benefits of allspice for heart health –Potassium found in allspice also acts as a vasodilator and increases blood flow throughout the body. This, consequently, reduces the strain on your heart, promotes better cardiovascular health, and reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
- Health benefits of kabab chini for metabolism – When it comes to maintaining metabolism, allspice is an absolute powerhouse because of the many minerals it contains.
- Health benefits of allspice for brain health – Allspice is full of vitamins like A and B9 (folate) that improve and protect your brain functioning. It also contains riboflavin that helps reduce fatigue and magnesium that prevents cognitive decline and memory loss
Allspice or Kabab Chini - Allspice Powder Recipe | Make Kabab Chini Powder
Ingredients
- 0.5 Cup Allspice Kabab Chini
- 5 minutes Heat
Instructions
- Add allspice or kebabchini to a heavy bottomed pan and roast in low flame (5m).
- Cool down then transfer to a clean and dry mixer jar.
- Grind to a fine powder or slightly coarse as per your preference.
- Cool completely and use in your dishes.
- Store the remaining powder in an airtight jar.
Notes
- Grind allspice in a metal spice grinder to avoid damage to plastic coffee grinder cups.
- Use allspice powder within a month or it will lose flavour and potency because of delicate oils.
Health benefits of allspice or kababchini
All About Allspice | Know Your Spice Allspice (Pimenta dioica) or kabab chini – Allspice comes from an evergreen tree from the Myrtle family that only grows in tropical climates. The Pimenta dioica can grow to over 30ft high.
Kabab chini tree has small white blossom & six-inch long aromatic green leaves. The trees fruit at 3-5 years & allspice is the spice made from its dried but unripe green berries.
Allspice is popularly used in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cuisines to flavor desserts, side dishes, main courses, and beverages.
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2 comments
A small problem – the given names (allspice and kabab chini) are presented as being synonymous. Yet, some refer to ‘kebab chini’ as ‘tailed pepper’. Thus, they are the same except that one version has a ‘tail’ and the other does not.
Please clarify for me. I have to buy imported spices and prices vary greatly. If they are indeed the same, then the choice and decision are both more easily made. Thank you for your article.
Hi John,
Thank you for reading & catching up. You are looking for Piper cubeba, cubeb or tailed pepper aka Allspice or Java pepper. If you go by the scientific name you cannot go wrong. I hope this helps.
Best,
Sumit