In traditional kitchens, Cloves are slipped whole into simmering lentils, rice, or meat stews, often along with cardamom and cinnamon to form a fragrant base. Families sometimes pierce onions with Cloves before adding them to broth, creating a layered aroma. Ground Clove is reserved for festive sweets or masalas, used sparingly because of its strength. One or two buds are often enough to transform a pot.
Handpicked, sun-dried by smallholders in Sri Lanka. Packed whole or finely ground.
Taste and Aroma
Clove reads like an intense small instrument. The first breath is floral-sweet, quickly followed by a bright, warming, almost numbing spice, because clove oil is high in eugenol. Imagine citrus peel wrapped in resin, or a small flame of perfume that lingers. Because it is so concentrated, a single bud can dominate a pot; used with precision, it offers clarity and medicinal warmth.
The Origin
Though Cloves were first native to the Spice Islands, they became part of Himalayan basin life through ancient trade routes that linked Southeast Asia to the mountain valleys. Caravans carried dried buds northward across Assam, Bengal, and Nepal, where they were absorbed into ritual, medicine, and cooking. In Ayurveda and Tibetan healing, Clove was valued as a warming spice, believed to balance cold energies and soothe the body. Families used it in incense and temple offerings, its fragrance marking moments of prayer and passage. Over centuries, the Clove settled into kitchens too: studding sweets at weddings, steeping in winter broths, and perfuming rice dishes.
