Star Anise Peanuts
December 14, 2008 | Chuck
Hungry Bear is always searching for good Chinese food cookbooks and her latest find is The Seventh Daughter by Cecilia Chiang. One of the dishes that caught her eye were these star anise peanuts. They are a good alternative to salted peanuts or honey roasted peanuts.
Hungry Bear made this simple snack a few weeks ago and they were a big hit. They are salty and a little crunchy. I love the aroma of the star anise and when they are cooking, the smell reminds me of a bowl of pho. I found it difficult to stop eating them and I'm sure you will too.
Star Anise Peanuts Recipe
SND Note: Skinless and shelled raw peanuts can be found in most Asian supermarkets. The brand we used can be seen in the slideshow.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces raw peanuts, skinless and shelled
- 6 whole star anise
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, add the peanuts and enough water to cover them generously. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming off the foam with a slotted spoon.
- After about 5 minutes (or when the foaming stops), stir in the star anise, salt, and soy soy sauce. Cook 30 minutes more, adding more water as needed to keep the peanuts moving freely in the liquid. Stir in the sugar and cook 5 minutes more, or until the peanuts are soft, but still have a little resistance when you bite them.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the peanuts cool in the liquid. Drain and enjoy at room temperature or chilled. The peanuts can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Makes about 3 cups
[Via The Seventh Daughter by Cecilia Chiang]
I think I just found the snack I’ll bring to a holiday gathering next week – perfect!
How interesting! I will try to make those peanuts at our Super Bowl party–what a refreshing way to “spice” things up!
Amazing photo.
Star anise, commonly used in Vietnamese Pho used with peanuts.
wow.
keep writing!