Annatto Oil (Dau Hat Dieu)

Annatto oil, as known as Achiote Oil and Atsuete Oil, is a natural orange-red food dye used in Asian and Latin cuisines. It is made by steeping dried annatto seeds in either vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil or corn oil. When heated, the pebble-like annatto seeds release a beautiful vibrant orange/red color. The annatto seeds is then discarded and the annatto oil is used to color a dish. The oil has a mild fragrance and very subtle taste. Add as much or as little as you like without affecting the overall flavor of a dish.

I use annatto oil a lot in my everyday Vietnamese cooking so I make a large batch ahead of time. It keeps very well at room temperature for up to three months.

To make annatto oil, add 1/2 cup whole dried annatto seeds directly to 1 cup room temperature oil. Other people tend to heat up the oil first then add annatto seeds. I find that doing it that way tend to scorch the outsides too quickly, imparting bitter taste on the oil. Dropping the seeds in room temperature oil will give the seeds more time to release its vibrant color without burning. Once you add the annatto seeds to room temperature oil, heat the pan on medium-high. As the temperature rises, the red color will release from the seeds. Give the pain a swirl to help them along. Once the seeds start to darken to deep red/brown color, use a slotted spoon to remove the seeds or pour the content of the pan into a strainer placed over a jar. Place the annatto oil in a air-tight jar and store at temperature in your pantry.

Annatto Oil (Dau Hat Dieu)

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dried whole annatto seeds

Instructions

In a small sauce pan, add annatto seeds to room temperature oil. Heat on medium high for 3-5 minutes.
Swirl pan to help annatto seeds release more color.
Once seeds appear deep red/brown, use a slotted spoon or strainer to remove annatto seeds from oil and discard. Store annatto seeds in a air-tight container. Annatto oil will keep for up to 3 months at room temperature.

RECIPES WITH ANNATTO OIL

Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho)

A traditional Vietnamese beef stew, Bò Kho is hearty, flavorful, and full of flavor. It’s perfect for a comforting and satisfying meal any day, but particularly nice on a cold day. It is made with tender beef chuck, aromatic spices, and carrots, all slow-cooked to perfection in a savory tomato-based broth. Enjoy this dish with steamed rice, a toasty baguette, or noodles.

Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bun Bo Hue)

Have you tried Central Vietnam’s spicy beef noodle soup? If you love Phở and looking for a fiery version, you will like its spicy cousin.

Annatto Oil (Dau Hat Dieu)

Annatto oil, also known as Achiote Oil and Atsuete Oil, is a natural orange-red food dye used in many Asian and Latin cuisines.

Vietnamese Shrimp & Crab Thick Noodle Soup (Banh Canh Tom Cua)

Banh Canh is the only Vietnamese noodle soup that you will eat with a spoon. However, if you are like my kids, forego the spoon and chopsticks altogether, and slurp it directly from the bowl.

Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp (Tom Rim)

Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp, or Tom Rim, is a quick and easy side dish in a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked meal. It's a very simple dish of sweet and savory shrimp that goes wonderfully with steamed white rice.

Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup (Banh Canh)

Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup, or Banh Canh, is one of my favorite childhood foods. It's the most simplest and purest of all the Vietnamese noodle soups. In its simplest form, it's thick noodles in a rich and savory pork broth. The only tricky thing with Banh Canh is keeping the darn slippery noodles on the spoon!

Vietnamese Pork & Crab Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu Cua Thit)

Bún Riêu is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup with a tomato and crab soup base. It is eaten with a lot of fresh veggies and Vietnamese herbs, the popular of which is split water spinach stems (Rau Muống).

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