As we head into the festive season, having a container of these incredibly moreish spiced nuts on hand or prettily packaged up in glass jars means you’ll always have something in reserve for those last minute or spontaneous or lets face it, forgotten moments. Worth doubling or tripling the amount.
Ingredients
Makes enough for 6 – 8 as a nibble with drinks.
Spice Blend
1 tspn black peppercorns
8 cloves
8 green cardamom pods, seeds only
1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 x 5 cm cinnamon stick
Nuts
300 gm raw cashews
350 gm raw peanuts
300 gm almonds, skin on
6 tspns spice mix
½ tsp crushed dried chilli
1 tbsp salt flakes
2 cinnamon sticks
4 small dried bay leaves
small dried chillies
vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Gently dry roast the spices in a pan until slightly brown and fragrant. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to a fine powder.
- Heat a good amount of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok. Fry the nuts on a medium heat, keeping each variety separate and only a handful at a time. If you prefer, you can also dry bake them in a 180ºC oven. Bake the nuts separately though as they brown with varying times.
- Remove the nuts with a slotted spoon when light brown, as the residual heat will continue to cook the nuts. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Mix the nuts with the spice mix, salt and crushed dried chilli. Coarsely crumble the cinnamon sticks, and toss through the nuts together with the bay leaves and small dried chillies. If the nuts have been dry baked, drizzle a little olive oil through the mix so the spice blend will stick to the nuts.
- Cool completely before storing in a air tight container. Will keep for a up to a month.
