Everything about The Tonka Bean totally explained
The
tonka bean is the
seed of
Dipteryx odorata, a
legume tree in the
neotropics, of the
Fabaceae family. The seed is black and wrinkled in appearance, with a smooth brown interior. It is known mostly for its fragrance, which is reminiscent of
vanilla,
almonds,
cinnamon, and
cloves: it has sometimes been used commercially as a substitute for vanilla. It is also sometimes used in
perfume and was commonly used in tobacco before being banned.
The seed contains
coumarin, and for this reason its use in food is banned in the US by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Coumarin can be lethal in large doses. Many anti-coagulant prescription drugs are based on more powerful forms of coumarin.
The plant has its origin in Northern South America (
Guyana,
Orinoco region). Main producers today are
Venezuela and also
Nigeria.
The word tonka is taken from the
Galibi (Carib) tongue spoken by natives of
French Guiana; it also appears in Tupi, another language of the same region, as the name of the tree. The old genus name, Coumarouna, was formed from another Tupi name of the tonka tree, kumarú. The latter also lies behind the name of tonka's main constituent,
coumarin.
The use of tonka beans (which was never high), has further decreased, since
coumarin is toxic and possibly carcinogenic. In spite of its hypnotic fragrance, the spice isn't mentioned often in cookbooks. Some books suggest adding minute amounts of it to the dough of cakes or cookies; sweets based on
coconut,
walnuts or
poppy are another possible field of application. Tonka beans are sometimes suggested as a substitute for bitter
almonds, especially in countries where usage of bitter almonds is restricted or prohibited by national food laws. Tonka makes an even better substitute for Middle Eastern
mahlab (cherry kernels). It is also used as a flavouring in nasal
snuff and pipe tobacco.
Further Information
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