Mala the nutmeg fruit, indeed, is a drupe about the size of apricot which upon ripening splits up to reveal a single, centrally situated oval shaped hard kernel popular as nutmeg spice this seed kernel is closely enwrapped by crimson-red, lacy, or thread-like arils known as mace. Both spices feature a similar warm, sweet aromatic flavor. Nutmeg tree yields up to three times in a season. Once harvested from the tree, its outer coat or husk is removed and discarded. Just underneath the tough husk is the golden-brown color aril, known as mace, which firmly envelops around the nutmeg kernel. Mace is gently peeled off from its kernel surface, flattened into strips, dried, and sold either as a whole blades or finely ground powder. Nutmeg kernel is then dried under the sun for several days to weeks. At larger commercial set-ups, this process is accomplished rather more rapidly over a hot drier machine until the whole nutmeg rattles inside the shell. Its shell is then cut-open and a single, shriveled nutmeg kernel is then taken out.