Today was a walnut day.
Now, just so we're clear: I ALWAYS soak my walnuts. Always. They have a bitter quality that is very off-putting for me unless I soak them. Soaking nuts in water removes enzyme inhibitors - which are aptly named - and also wakes up the nuts, allowing them to germinate. This leads to better digestibility and higher nutrient content. Walnuts, because they break in the shelling process, can't fully germinate. However, all the bitterness does leach out, leaving a soft, mild, almost sweet nut. Next time I soak my nuts, I'll take a picture to show you the dark, ruddy-brown colored water that's left.
I had a great big bowl left over from a prior experiment, and it was about time for them to be eaten. I didn't want to do a raw dish necessarily (read: "yeah, you really should COOK those... starting to look a bit dodgy") and I hadn't roasted nuts in ages! These walnuts were begging for a spice rub.
Coconut-Spice Roasted Walnuts
3 cups freshly soaked walnuts
3 Tb. dry shredded coconut
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tb. sunflower oil
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together, then add lemon and oil. This should make a thick liquid. In a larger bowl, pour the wet spices over the walnuts, and toss to coat. Turn out onto a cookie sheet, and place in the oven.
You'll want to stir up the walnuts every 15 minutes or so, making sure to mix in the smaller bits from the corners. It'll take around 1 1/2 to 2 hours or so, until the pan dries out and the walnuts aren't steaming anymore.
When they're thoroughly dry they make a different sound when they're mixed, almost like they're hollow. You'll hear it when they get there. ;)
Friday, April 11, 2008
Coconut-Spice Roasted Walnuts
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10 comments:
YUMMY Lyra! Those look fantastic, I am so gonna make these - and I promise I will soak my freaking walnuts! ;)
I never can have enough nuts, and am a big fan of coconut: this recipe is definitely a must-try.
Yum! they look so good!
walnuts are my fav nuts, hv a quick Q.
how long do u soak the walnuts? though i soak my almonds, hv not soaked walnuts yet. have been reading a lot about soaking nuts, but hv noticed that it gets a lil' tough to get them crispy after that. any pointers? does roasting them for so long retain the nutritional value?
Am really interested in learning more about this and hope to hear from you, Thank You!
Thanks everyone!
Richa, I have a very sensitive palate to bitter flavor, so I soak mine overnight. They can range anywhere from 3-12 hours, though, depending on the nuts. Best thing to do if you're unsure is to check them after three hours, and go from there. :)
As for crisp drying, I've never had a problem drying nuts properly with my dehydrator. I keep it under 115 degrees to maintain the raw factor. Unfortunately, a lot of the nutrients are destroyed in the roasting process.
thanks!
i guess i gotta' look into getting a dehydrator to retain the crunch as well as nutrition :)
Thanks for sharing this smart trick with soaking walnuts to get rid of bitterness. And I definitely have to try this roasting option. It sounds very interesting. I put in on my to-do list.
Lyra, What a lovely, lovely blog. I just happened to wander in her via foodbuzz and fell in love with this walnut recipe. I love your use of coconut and all these other spices to flavor the walnuts. And although I have never soaked walnuts before, you can be sure I will now!
MMMM!! Great way to make walnuts, thanks for the share!
Mmmm...do this walnut treat every look delicious!
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