How To Toast Macadamia Nuts
Prized for their smooth buttery taste, which makes them a welcome addition to everything from desserts to stuffings for meat, Macadamia nuts have their origin in Australia, although it wasn’t until they were cultivated in Hawaii during the 1800s that these nuts began to be sold and used on a wider scale. While they tend to be great flavour enhancers in most dishes, you can also enjoy the simple flavour of the nut itself by toasting and eating it on its own.
Things Required:
– Macadamia nuts
– An oven, or a frying pan
Instructions
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1
Begin by cracking and shelling the nuts. This process could take a while, depending on the quantity of nuts you have, and there are several methods you can employ for this purpose. A popular method is to wrap the nuts in a towel (so the shells do not fly about when they break), and hit them with a hammer. However, you can also use tools such as a C-clamp or a nut cracker, or try and weaken the shell by boiling or freezing the nuts.
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2
Once the nuts have been shelled, spread them out on a tray, and examine them carefully. Pick out and throw away any nuts that have a winkled or mouldy appearance. These are rotten and tend to have a rancid flavour – biting into one of these as you pop macadamia nuts into your mouth can be a pretty unpleasant experience.
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3
Now that you’ve ensured the nuts are fresh, it’s time to toast them. You may use either an oven or a frying pan for this purpose – either way, make sure the pan or the baking tray is shallow and spread the nuts out in a single layer. Contrary to popular beliefs, the baking tray or frying pan do not need to be greased, nor do the nuts need to be sprinkled with salt – both will ruin the natural flavour of the nuts.
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4
Next, proceed to cook the nuts. If you’re using an oven, preheat it to roughly 325 degrees, and if you’re using a frying pan, make sure you warm it up gently before tossing the nuts in. Allow the nuts to cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
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5
Midway through the toasting process, you will need to move the nuts around, to keep them from turning too brown on one side. If you’re using an oven, use a wooden spoon to stir the nuts around on the tray, and if you’re using a frying pan, give it a shake or a flip.
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6
Once the nuts develop a light golden brown colour, and their scent starts to permeate your kitchen, turn the oven/stove off. Since the pan in which you cooked them is still hot, transfer them immediately onto a fresh tray, on which you can allow them to cool.
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7
Finally, store the toasted nuts in an airtight container to maintain their crispy crunchiness. Serve them as they are, or add them to breads, cakes, stir-fries and salads.
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