1. food and drink
2. food
3. herbs and spices

Map Trading, is a leading ethnic food importer and distributor.
With dedicated suppliers located in over four continents, we select
only the finest products of the highest quality for our customers.
White Pearl is a trusted and well-known ethnic brand. So if you are
keen on authentic food ingredients, whether its spices, basmati rice,
flours or cooking oil, you need not look any further than White Pearl.
All the recipes in this booklet have been developed specially to show
you just how easy and exciting cooking a delicious selection of Asian
dishes can be. For best results, it is important that the cooking
instructions are followed carefully.
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The Dishes
Jalfrezi Kabli Chana Chicken
Murghi Makhani
Murghi Korma
Dhansak Gosht
Keema Kabli Chana
Biryani Dum Gosht
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14-15
Aloo Tikki
Chana Chat
Navrattan Sabzi Pullao
Zarda
Chappati’s
Spice Descriptions
Jalfrezi Kabli Chana Chicken
(Chicken and Chickpea Curry)
A sparkling stir-fry, made golden with Turmeric powder.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
675g chicken breast,
boned and skinned
4 tablespoons White Pearl Ghee or
White Pearl Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl Cumin powder
2 tablespoons White Pearl Curry powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl Mustard seeds
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 cm piece fresh ginger,
finely chopped
1 large onion, peeled
and chopped
2 or more green chillies, sliced
1/2 red pepper, seeded and
coarsely chopped
1/2 green pepper, seeded and
coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander freshly chopped
2 or 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
200g canned White Pearl
Boiled Chickpeas
2 teaspoons White Pearl Garam masala
Salt to taste
Lemon juice
Method
Heat the ghee or oil and fry the
powders and seeds, adding enough
water to make a paste and stir for a
minute. Add the garlic and ginger
and stir-fry for about 30 seconds
more. Add the chicken and stir-fry
for about 5 minutes. Add the
onion, chillies and peppers and
continue to stir-fry for about 5
more minutes. Add the coriander,
tomatoes, chickpeas and garam
masala, and stir-fry for about 5
minutes on medium heat. Add a
little water if needed. When the
chicken is white right through, salt
to taste. Squeeze lemon juice over
it and serve with White Pearl
Basmati rice.
Murghi Makhani
(Chicken Tikka Masala)
Chicken is marinated in a traditional Tandoori-spiced yoghurt, oven-baked
and then simmered in a spicy, medium heat, thick red tomato-based sauce.
(Serves: 4)
Ingredients
4 chicken legs and 4 breast pieces,
on the bone
250g onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
5 cm fresh ginger, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons White Pearl Ghee
400g canned White Pearl
Chopped Tomatoes,
3 tablespoons tomato juice
from the can
85 ml single cream
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh coriander
salt to taste
Marinade
175 ml yoghurt
1 1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Paprika powder
1
1 /2 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander powder
teaspoon White Pearl
Chilli powder
1 teaspoon White Peal
Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red food colouring
(optional)
Masala
2 teaspoons White Pearl
Paprika powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl Garam masala
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon yellow
food colouring powder (optional)
1 teaspoon White Pearl Garlic powder
Method
Skin the chicken, lightly prick or
gash the flesh. Mix the marinade
ingredients in a non-metallic bowl.
Add the chicken and mix well.
Cover and place in the fridge for
24 hours. To cook: preheat the
oven to 190™C. Remove the
chicken from the marinade,
ensuring that there is a liberal
coating on each piece. Place on
oven tray and bake for 20 minutes,
then remove and keep warm.
Strain liquid off oven tray and
reserve. Meanwhile, purée the
remaining marinade, onion, garlic
and ginger together in a processor
or blender, adding just enough
water to keep it pourable. Mix the
Masala with just enough water to
make a paste. Heat the ghee in a
karahi and fry the paste for about
2 minutes, until the oil floats. Add
the purée and simmer for some 10
minutes. Add the tomatoes and
juice, cream, fresh coriander and
the oven tray liquid and simmer
for the few minutes it takes for it
to start to change colour and go
orangey. Salt to taste. Add the
warm cooked chicken, to the gravy
and when hot, serve with White
Pearl Basmati rice.
Murghi Korma
(Mild chicken curry, restaurant style)
The mildest creamiest curry, and a great favourite at the curry house.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
700g chicken breast
3 tablespoons White Pearl
Vegetable oil
1 to 3 teaspoons garlic cloves,
finely chopped
200g onion, finely chopped
1/3 block (65 g) creamed coconut
150 ml single cream
1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves,
finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground almonds
2 to 3 teaspoons White Pearl
Garam masala
1 teaspoon white sugar
salt to taste
Masala
2 tablespoons White Pearl
Curry powder
2 teaspoons White Pearl
Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Chilli powder
Method
Cut the chicken into bite-sized
pieces. Mix the Masala with
enough water to achieve a paste.
Heat the oil in a karahi. Add the
paste and garlic and stir-fry for
about a minute. Add the onion
and stir-fry for at least 10 minutes
until the mixture has thoroughly
browned. Purée the mixture in
the pan using an electric hand
blender. Melt in the coconut and
add the cream and the chicken
and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes,
stirring occasionally, and adding
just enough water to keep a
thickish texture. Add the
remaining ingredients, including
salt to taste, and continue cooking
and stirring until the chicken is
cooked white right through. Serve
with White Pearl Basmati Rice,
Lentils and breads made from
White Pearl Chappatti Flour.
Dhansak Gosht
Lamb slow-cooked with lentils and vegetables. Traditional Parsee meat dish
slow cooked with spices, lentils and a ratatouille of aubergine, tomato,
spinach and fresh chillies. Hot, with a hint of sweet and sour.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
400g lean lamb in 3cm cubes
25g White Pearl Chana Dall
25g White Pearl Moong Dall
25g White Pearl Massoor Dall
25g White Pearl Toor Dall
4 tablespoon White Pearl Butter ghee
225g onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
200g canned White Pearl
Tomatoes, strained
3 or 4 pieces red or green bell pepper
1 small / medium aubergine, chopped
1 tablespoon jaggery or brown sugar
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
110g fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
coriander leaves
salt to taste
Masala One
1 teaspoon White Pearl Cumin seeds
1 White Pearl Black Cardamom
2 inch (5 cm) cassia bark
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Mustard seeds
Masala Two
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl Cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Fenugreek seeds, ground
Method
Mix together the lentils, then wash
them. Soak overnight. Trim the meat
of any unwanted matter, and
preheat the oven to 190™C. To cook,
simmer lentils in twice their volume
of water for about 30 minutes. Then
coarsely mash them inside the pan.
Heat the ghee in a lidded pot. Fry
Masala 1 for 30 seconds. Use
enough water to make a paste of
Masala 2. Add it and stir-fry for a
minute. Add the onions and garlic
and continue to stir-fry for about 10
minutes or until golden. Add the
meat and put the casserole, lid on,
into the oven. After 20 minutes,
inspect stir and taste. Add a little
water if required. Replace in the
oven. After a further 20 minutes
repeat, this time add the tomatoes,
sugar, the mashed lentils and the
other vegetables. Cook on for 20 to
30 minutes, or until the meat is
really tender. Add the coriander and
salt to taste. Heat for a further 10
minutes, or until ready to serve with
White Pearl Basmati Rice and
Chapatti’s made from White Pearl
Chappatti Flour.
Keema Kabli Chana
( Mince Curry with Chickpeas)
Mince simmered with red peppers, Chick peas and a robust blend of spices.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g lean minced meat
4 tablespoons White Pearl Pure
Butter Ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 cm cube fresh ginger, finely chopped
400g canned White Pearl
Tomatoes, strained
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 or 2 green chillies, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh coriander
leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
200g canned White Pearl
Boiled Chickpeas
Salt to taste
Masala
3 teaspoons White Pearl Curry powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl Chilli powder
4 White Pearl Whole Cloves
1 White Pearl Black Cardamom
2 teaspoons White Pearl Garam masala
Method
In a lidded casserole pot, heat the
ghee and stir-fry the onion, garlic
and ginger until golden. Add the
Masala and simmer for a couple
more minutes. Add a little water if
it dries up too much. Add the mince
and stir-fry for about 5 to 10
minutes to seal it. Preheat the oven
to 190™C. Put it, lid on, into the
oven and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
Then stir in the tomatoes, peppers,
and chilli. Continue to cook in the
oven for a further half an hour. Add
sufficient water or fragrant stock to
prevent the curry from drying out.
Mix in the leaves and chickpeas,
and salt to taste. Put the pot back
into the oven for a few more
minutes. Serve with White Pearl
Basmati rice or Chapattis made
from White Pearl Chappatti Flour
Biryani Dum Gosht
(Aromatic Basmati rice cooked with curried meat)
A stunning dish perfected by the Moghuls, and cooked their traditional
way. Lamb is fried with spices. Basmati rice, is separately fried in ghee
with aromatic spices. The combination is layered in a casserole dish. It is
slowly oven baked (dum) and when nearly ready, the dish is enhanced
with Garam Masala and garnish. Serves: 4
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190™C. Heat
the 4 tablespoons of ghee in a lidded
Ingredients
casserole pot. Fry the garlic and
1kg lean leg of lamb, cut bone and all,
onion and the Meat Masala, and stirinto large bite-sized pieces
fry for 5 minutes. Add the meat and
4 tablespoons White Pearl Butter Ghee
put the pot, lid on, into the oven.
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
Add the stock after 20 minutes, leave
300g onion, finely chopped
in the oven for a further 20 minutes.
300ml fragrant stock
During this time, get the rice started.
300g White Pearl Basmati rice
Rinse it. Heat the second batch of
600ml fragrant stock
ghee in a lidded saucepan. Add the
2 tablespoons White Pearl Butter Ghee Rice Masala and when sizzling, add
the rice and stir-fry it for the few
30 saffron stamens,
seconds it takes to absorb the ghee.
infused in 50 ml warm milk
Add the second batch of fragrant
salt to taste
stock, and let it cook into the rice,
garnish items
with the lid on, for just three
quartered pistachio nuts
minutes. Then set it aside, lid on.
fresh coriander leaves.
Remove the meat and any meat
Meat Masala
gravy from the casserole pot. Lower
2 White Pearl Black Cardamoms
the oven heat to 180™C. Place a layer
6 White Pearl Whole Cloves
of the rice in the same casserole pot
1 teaspoon White Pearl Cumin powder
(no need to clean it). Add a layer of
1 teaspoon White Pearl Coriander powder
meat. Add more rice, and the infused
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl Chilli powder
saffron, then more meat, ending with
Rice Masala
a layer of rice. Add any meat gravy.
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Cook for 30 minutes, lid on, and then
turn off the heat, leaving the rice
Turmeric Powder
undisturbed for a minimum of 10
4 to 6 White Pearl Bay leaves
4 to 6 White Pearl Green Cardamoms further minutes. Fluff up before
serving, and salt to taste. Sprinkle on
4 to 6 White Pearl Whole Cloves
the garnish items. Serve with White
5cm (2 inch) piece cassia bark
Pearl Lentils and breads made from
1 teaspoon White Pearl Fennel seeds
White Pearl Chappatti Flour.
2 star aniseed
Aloo Tikki
(Stuffed Potato Cakes)
Mashed potato, spiced, shaped into rissoles around a centre of chana dall,
covered in semolina to give a pan-fried and crispy finish. Vegan.
Makes 8 - 10 rissoles
Ingredients
450g mashed potatoes
175g green peas
1 or 2 green chillies,
finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
110g cooked cold White Pearl Dall,
any type
White Pearl Semolina
White Pearl Vegetable
oil for frying
Masala
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander Powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Chilli Powder
Method
Mix together the potatoes, peas,
chilli, salt and masala. Shape the
mixture into eight to ten cups.
Put a little dall in each cup and
enclose it by gently squeezing.
Flatten into a conventional rissole
shape, and cover in semolina.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry
the rissoles on one side until
brown, then turn over and brown
the other side. Serve hot or cold,
with chutneys or tamarind sauce.
Chana Chat
Curried chick peas, with tomato and onion, cooked in a fragrant, spicy
sauce.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons White Pearl Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon White Pearl Cumin seeds
2 teaspoons White Pearl Sesame seeds
1 tablespoon White Pearl
Curry Powder
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
225g cooked White Pearl Chick Peas
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh coriander
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato purée
100ml canned tomato soup
salt to taste
1 lemon
Method
Heat the oil and stir-fry the seeds
and curry powder for a few
seconds, then add the garlic and
cook for a further minute. Add all
the remaining ingredients, and stirfry for about 5 minutes. Garnish
with quartered Lemon wedges and
serve.
Navrattan Sabzi Pullao
(Rice with Nine Vegetables)
This Moghul dish, also called the nine jewels, has a combination of nine (a
propitious number) vegetables fruits and nuts. You can cut down on the
number of ingredients, or you can add more or alternatives. The Turmeric
powder gives the rice a golden colour. Vegan.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
300g White Pearl Basmati rice
1 teaspoon White Pearl
Turmeric powder
600 ml fragrant stock
6 tablespoons White Pearl
Vegetable ghee
8 small broccoli florets, blanched
1 small carrot, diced and blanched
8 asparagus tips, chopped
and blanched
8 seedless black grapes, halved
16 cashew nuts, fried golden
8 miniature cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons mango, diced
2 tablespoons green peas, blanched
2 tablespoons canned White Pearl
Sweetcorn
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
Masala
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl Fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon White Pearl
Coriander seed, roasted
4 White Pearl Bay leaves
6 White Pearl Green Cardamoms
6 White Pearl Whole Cloves
5cm piece cassia bark
2 star aniseeds
Garnish
Rosewater
Red pepper or chilli, very thinly sliced
Method
Soak the rice for 30 minutes, then
rinse well. If boiling the rice, use
ample water with the Turmeric.
When cooked, strain. Heat the ghee,
and stir-fry the Masala for 1 minute.
Add to the rice that has been
strained, mixing in well. If cooking
the rice by absorption, heat the
ghee, add the Masala and fry for 1
minute. Add the raw rice and for a
further minute. Add the measured
fragrant stock with the Turmeric.
Either way, once the rice is cooked,
carefully, so as not to break the rice
grains, mix in the vegetables and
other ingredients. Then place in a
very low-heat oven for at least 30
minutes. Sprinkle just before
serving with the rosewater, and
sliced red pepper or chillies.
Zarda
(Sweet Yellow Basmati Rice)
An excellent after dinner sweet dish.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
300g White Pearl Basmati Rice
10 Saffron strands
1/2 of Dried coconut
1/2 teaspoon yellow food colour
4 tablespoons White Pearl Ghee
4 Whole Cloves
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon Cardamom seeds
( crushed)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons almonds blanched,
sliced
3 tablespoons Golden Raisins
3 tablespoons Pistachio Nuts, sliced
1/2 teaspoon Kewra Water
Method
Rinse the rice well and then soak
rice in water for about 30 minutes,
then drain. Soak coconut in water
for about 15 minutes or until soft,
and then thinly slice it. Place
saffron strands into two
tablespoons of boiling water and
soak for 10 minutes. Bring to the
boil a large pan of water, add
washed rice, cardamom seeds and
yellow food colour, bring it back to
the boil, reduce heat, cook rice for
about 15minutes or until the rice is
almost cooked. Drain and keep
aside. Heat Ghee in a large
saucepan; add cloves and
cinnamon. Stirring all the time, fry
them for a couple of minutes. Add
sugar and milk. Bring to the boil
and simmer for a few minutes.
Add rice, lemon juice and saffron
water, stir gently, and cook for 5
minutes on medium heat. Add,
almonds, raisins, pistachio nuts,
coconut and kewra water, stir
gently and cover with tight fitting
lid. Reduce heat and cook for 12-15
minutes. Then transfer to a serving
dish. Serve hot or cold.
Breads – Chappatis
Dry unleavened bread disks.
Traditional flat bread. Easy to cook and quite delicious. Vegan.
Makes: 8
Ingredients
450g White Pearl Chappati Flour
warm water
Method
Make dough by adding a little water
to the flour until it is pliable. Divide
it into eight equal parts and shape
each one into a ball. On a floured
board, roll each ball into a thin
Chappati disc about 15 cm in
diameter. Heat a tava until very hot.
Place one Chappati disc onto the
tava, after a minute turn the
Chappati disc over and allow the
other side to be cooked. Remove
cooked Chappati from tava and
serve. Repeat process with the other
Chappati discs.
Spice Botanical Name Description
Flavour Characteristics
Aniseed (Pimpinella Anisum)
Aniseed is the dried fruit of an annual herb. The herb has a branching stem with feathery leaves,
white flower clusters and bears green fruit. Strong flavour and aroma.
Bay (Laurel) Leaves Laurus Nobilis
Bay leaf is among the world’s oldest herbs. The leaves come from an evergreen tree, which
grows, to a height of 15 metres. After harvest, the leaves are dried slowly in the shade to retain
the green colour and spicy flavour Delicate, aromatic odour and spicy, bitter taste.
Cardamom Elettaria Cardamomum amomum subulatum
Cardamom is the dried fruit of an herbaceous perennial, with branched subterranean rhizomes.
The fruits are born in the panicles of the plant, just above ground. The handpicked fruits are
dried in special curing chambers under controlled temperature to retain their delicate flavour
and green colour. Sweet, highly aromatic.
Chilli Capsicum Annum Capsicum Frutescens
Chilli is also known as Capsicum, paprika, pimento, sweet pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper and
bird pepper, depending on the type of chilli and the manner in which it is prepared and used. Chilli
is the dried fruit of Capsicum Annum, with exception of Tabasco; the more pungent bird chilli is
from Capsicum Frutescens; paprika, which may be sweet or mildly pungent, is from Capsicum
Annum (the dried fruits are finely ground to produce paprika). Some highly pungent, some
medium-pungent, others flavoursome but not pungent.
Cinnamon Cinnamomum Verum, Cinnamomum Cassia.
True Cinnamon is the dried bark of Cinnaomon Verum, Cassia, which is considered somewhat
inferior to true cinnamon, is of different kinds and obtained from different species of cinnamon.
True Cinnamon is a small, evergreen tree. The bark is removed in two longitudinal strips and
fermented in covered heaps for 24 hours. The epidermis, cortex and green cork are then removed
by scraping. The quills are dried and packed one inside the other. Sweet, pungent aroma
Clove Syzygium Aromaticum
Clove is the dried, unopened flower bud of an evergreen tree. The tree is small, handsome and
conical when young and roughly cylindrical when mature. Clove clusters are plucked by hand
when the buds have been developed fully, with a pronounced pink flush, and then dried.
Pungent, warm, sweet aroma
Coriander Coriandrum Sativum
Coriander is the dried fruit of an annual herb, with several branches and serrated leaves. Small
white to pink flowers yield green globular fruits, which turn yellow-brown when ripe. The seeds
are picked when the ripening is in progress, and air-dried. Pleasantly aromatic and flavourful
Cumin Cuminum Cyminum
A small herbaceous plant, cumin is cultivated for its dried fruits. At maturity, the seeds are
approximately 6mm long, oval-shaped, with pale green to yellow-brown colour. The dark leaves
are finely divided. The flowers, white or rose, are long and oval, dark green at first, yellowish
brown when mature. When the leaves wither, the seeds turn brown. The dried plants are
collected, threshed and the seeds separated by winnowing. Strong, slightly bitter flavour.
Curry Leaf Murraya Koenigii
Curry leaf is a small, deciduous tree. When the plant grows to a height of 1 metre, it is cut at the base
to produce fresh shoots. The young shoots, on reaching a height of 1 metre, are again cut and
collected. Quite often, the tree is maintained as a shrub; the leafy twigs are periodically cut and
collected. Highly aromatic
Fennel Seeds Foeniculum Vulgare Fennel is the dried fruit of a perennial, aromatic, herbaceous
plant, which grows to a height of 1 to 1.5 metres. The plant has finely divided green leaves and
small, yellow flowers in compound umbels. The fruits are oval, 6-7mm long, ridged, greenish
and aromatic. Crop is harvested before the fruits are fully ripe. After drying the plants are
threshed for fruits. Agreeable, sweet aroma resembling aniseed.
Fenugreek Trigonella Foenumgraecum Trigonella Conniculata
Fenugreek is the ripe, dried fruit of an annual leguminous herb, 30-60cm tall, which produces hornshaped pods. Each pod contains 10-12 small seeds, each about 3mm long, varying in colour from
olive green to yellow-brown and in shapes ranging from square to oblong. Bitter, strong flavour
Garlic Allium Sativum
Garlic is a hardy, bulbous perennial, with narrow, flat leaves. It bears small, white flowers and
bulbils. The bulbs, which have smaller bulblets, are surrounded by a thick, white or pinkish, papery
sheath. When the tops turn yellow or brown, the bulbs are lifted, cleaned and cured. Sweet-scented,
pungent and sulphurous.
Ginger Zingiber Officinale
Ginger is the fresh, dried or powdered rhizome of a slender perennial herb. The dried ginger is
obtained by peeling off the outer skin of the rhizomes and drying in the sun after cleaning.
Sometimes the dried ginger is coated with a solution of lime to produce “bleached” ginger. The
uncoated variety is the “unbleached” ginger. Pungent, hot, penetrating and slightly biting.
Mustard Brassica Alba Brassica Nigra Brassica Junces
The genus Brassica, to which mustard belongs, consists of many species. Mustard seeds come
from an erect, multi branched, herbaceous plant. There are mainly three varieties: black, white
and brown (Indian mustard). Indian mustard substitutes the black variety. The pods of white
mustard plant are rough, hairy and filled with yellowish seeds. The black mustard pods are
cylindrical, with a short break and smaller globular, dark brown seeds. Indian mustard seeds are
small, spherical reddish-brown. The pods are harvested before they open up and shatter. Sharp,
irritating odour and pungent taste.
Pepper Piper Nigrum
A perennial vine, the pepper plant has climbing shoots whose adventitious roots firmly adhere to the
supports. The fruits, small berries on slender spikes, are handpicked when mature and sun-dried.
Drying makes them gradually change colour, shrivel and finally become black or dark brown. White
pepper is the dried berry with its mesocarp removed. Highly aromatic, hot & pungent
Poppy seeds Papaver Somniferum
Poppy is an annual herb, growing up to a height of 1-2 metres. The leaves are large, 10-12cm in
diameter, white, light pink or purple. The egg-shaped fruits are white, 4-7cm in diameter, filled
with seeds. Opium is obtained from the latex of the mature fruits by making incisions on them.
The seeds are themselves not narcotic, since no opium reaches them from the ovaries. Sweet,
mild, nutty flavour and aroma.
Saffron Crocus Sativus
The costliest spice on earth, saffron is a perennial low-growing plant with an underground
globular corm. Saffron flowers are large, scented and blue or lavender in colour. The trumpetshaped stigmas are orange-red. The characteristic odour of saffron is obtained by drying the
stigmas. The flowers are harvested immediately on blossoming. Since only light stigmas are
useful, a large number of flowers have to be collected for just a small quantity of spice, which
accounts for its high cost. Strong aroma and pleasant, slightly bitter taste.
Sesame Seeds Sesamum Indicum
Sesame is an erect, annual herb, which grows to a height of about 1 metre. The tubular flowers
are white-to-pink in colour, each about 2cm long. The oblong fruit pods containing the seeds are
about 2.5cm long. Harvesting takes place when the capsules are mature but still green. The
seeds, which are small, oval-shaped, flat and 3mm long, are dried and cleaned. The colour of the
pericarp, which forms about 10 per cent of the whole seed, varies from white through brown to
black. The de-hulled kernel is always white. The bulk of the seeds are used for oil extraction.
The flavour is heightened by toasting due to the presence of volatile sulphur compounds. Nutlike aroma and flavour.
Star Anise Illicum Verum
Star anise is the dried fruit of a small, evergreen tree. When dry, the fruit takes on a star shape
with 6-8 carpels in a whorl radiating from the tip of a slender stem. Each pointed carpel has a
simple boat-like seed, 1-2 cm long and 1 cm broad. The fruits are plucked from the tree or shaken
off the branches. Refreshing, sweet, medicinal; initially warm but later very cooling; fruity.
Turmeric Curcuma Longa, Curcuma Domestica
Turmeric is the dried rhizome of a perennial, herbaceous tropical plant. The primary rhizomes,
which are rather round in shape, are called “bulbs”, while the thin long secondary rhizomes are
“fingers”. After harvest, the rhizomes are cleaned, boiled, dried and polished. Fragrant, peppery
aroma, slightly bitter, musky flavour.
Map Trading Limited
2 Abbey Road, Park Royal, London NW10 7BS
Tel: (020) 8965 0193
Fax: (020) 8963 1184
www.whitepearl.co.uk
email: post@whitepearl.co.uk