Bixa Orellana-Merah Kesumba

This rambutan-look like fruits is called Merah Kesumba in Indonesian language. The Botanical name is Bixa Orellana from the botanical family Bixaceae. Thai people called him Kam Tai, Philipines called achuete and Malaysian called jarak belanda.

The annato, the name called by the Spanish who introduec this plants to Southeast Asia through Philipines island is a native plant of tropical America. Since then the shrub is spread as the commmon shrubs. The decorative furry red seed pods is very eye-catching coloured. Indonesian people symbolized the bright red colour as Merah kesumba-very bright red !

If you drive along way to Jakarta, you could find these shrubs grow all the way the high way from Cibubur to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah ( Indonesia Miniature Park ). Why dont highway management make it as the commercial plants by planting more plants ?

This Bixa Orellana has been using as one of the natural colourant in Southeast Asian cuisines. The red colour coming from the dry seed grounding as a powder. This is also used as a spices in parts of Latin America cuisines .