Recipes: Annatto Powder

I first heard about this dish when a Mexican friend came to my house one afternoon to hang out, cook & eat. We didn't actually make any but the name stayed in my head. The key ingredient in this recipe is the annatto powder - a wonderful spice that comes from the achiote tree native to southern Mexico. This dish can be enjoyed as a filling for corn tortillas or with rice or beans.

There are various Mexican rice recipes used in Mexico and this is one that we find particularly exciting. It is brightly coloured owing to the annatto powder uses, with lovely contrasting flecks of green from the fresh peas. It's a great side dish to go with any one of our main Mexican dishes and can also be used for filling burritos.