Nutmeg and Mace (Pala & Kembang Pala)

Name : (Bahasa) Pala (:Nutmeg), Sekar Pala (:Mace)

(Latin) Myristica Fragrans Houtt.

(English) Nutmeg, Mace

Color : Dark reddish-brown, yellowish-brown

Origin : Indonesia (Moluccas/Maluku, Banda Island)

Form : Raw, dried Nutmeg fruit, dried Mace, Nutmeg Powder

Flavor : Aromatic, nutty

Taste : Slightly sweet

Culinary : It can be used to cook sweet-spicy dishes — pies, puddings, custards,

cookies spice cakes, soufflés, cheese sauces

Medical : It can be used to treat flatulence, aid digestion, improve the appetite

and treat diarrhea, vomiting and nausea

The nutmeg tree is a large evergreen native to the Moluccas (the Spice Islands) and is now cultivated in the West Indies. It produces two spices — mace and nutmeg. Nutmeg is the seed kernel inside the fruit and mace is the lacy covering (aril) on the kernel. Both spices are strongly aromatic, resinous and warm in taste. Nutmeg’s flavor and fragrance come from oil of myristica, containing myristicin, a poisonous narcotic. Mace is generally said to have a finer aroma than nutmeg, but the difference is small. Nutmeg quickly loses its fragrance when ground; therefore, the necessary amount should be grated from a whole nut immediately before usage.