[Sca-cooks] Spiced Nuts

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Someone was asking about spiced nuts - not just about the recipe for 
the one's in the Cookie Exchange. Since time has passed, i figured 
i'd resend my recipe for Indonesian spiced peanuts that i sent to the 
list 2-1/2 years ago. I've edited the recipe and i've added a little 
additional info in [square brackets].

This is an adapted recipe - in Indonesia they don't use powdered 
turmeric, cayenne pepper, or garlic powder. They use fresh turmeric 
and galangal rhizomes, which they grind to a paste. They use really 
arfing hot tiny little fresh red chilis which they grind to a paste, 
seeds and all (it's all paste - commercial sambal in a jar in the US 
is wrong - it shouldn't have seeds floating in it - they should be 
ground to a paste). And they do the same thing with the garlic. They 
use a lava stone mortar which is sort of flat and rectangular with 
low sides. Attention if you use fresh garlic - it burns easily.

Indonesian soy sauce is closer to Chinese than to Japanese, but i 
prefer Japanese-style soy sauce, and it's cheaper than Indonesian soy 
sauce (plus the soy sauce i buy is made with non-GMO soy beans, but, 
hey, that's me, use what you will). Chinese soy sauce is "stronger" 
in flavor (and, it seems to me, salt), so you might need less if you 
use a Chinese soy sauce (of course i mean the "standard" table soy 
sauce, since there are so many different types of soy sauce in China).

Anahita

---------------------

Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 00:10:49 -0700
Subject: SC - Indonesian style Spiced Peanuts - OP


OK, i dug up my recipe for Kacang Bumbu (the "c" is pronounced like a 
"ch" in modern Indonesian orthography) - also written Katjang Boemboe 
(the colonial Dutch spelling). Again, kacang = peanut; bumbu = spice

[sort of pronounced: kah-chahng boom-boo]

Kacang Bumbu

1 lb. shelled raw peanuts

Roast unsalted. Cool somewhat. Rub the skins off.
(or you could start with roasted UNSALTED peanuts that already have 
their skins off :-)

In wok or large skillet on medium-high heat mix the nuts with the 
following ingredients:

1/4 c. (or less) Japanese-style soy sauce
1 tsp. ground coriander seed
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
1/4 tsp. powdered turmeric
1/4 tsp. powdered galangal (aka laos (Malay/Indonesian), aka kha(Thai))
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (fresh garlic tends to burn, but might work if 
you add it near the end of the process)
1/8 tsp. ground cumin seed

[Stir and stir and stir, to keep peanuts coated with mixture and to 
keep from burning. Gradually the moisture in the soy sauce will 
evaporate. Adjust the heat as necessary so nuts and spices don't 
burn. The nuts are done when the contents are relatively dry - the 
nuts should be crunchy not soggy.]

This is a snack. Adjust spices to suit your personal taste. Serve 
with beer or iced sweet syrup drinks.