Whole cloves
Cloves have a bitter and pungent taste. According to Ayurvedic understanding, the aromatic, dried flower buds of the clove tree are said to strengthen Agni and reduce Pitta and Kapha.
Effect on doshas:
Pitta & Kapha: lowering
Rasa (taste): spicy/katu, bitter/tikta
Guna (quality): oily/snigda, light/laghu
Virya (power): cold/shita
Vipaka (taste after digestion): spicy/katu
Clove often forms a bridge between sweet and savory, for example in ragouts (coq au vin), red cabbage, pork and game. Clove also softens the sweet-sour, astringent taste of pomegranate seeds.
Use sparingly!
