Nuts are not just for snacking. When used correctly, they can form an integral part of a meal, elevating the sensory experience of a dish while boosting its nutritional content.
The challenge with using nuts in the kitchen for most people is understanding how to cook with them properly.
Nuts add great texture to salads, can be blended and processed into all sorts of dips and sauces, and make wonderful additions to baked treats.
While they are often seen in confectionery approaches and desserts, their savoury appeal is increasing. Nuts are appearing in many more products – and in forms not widely used in the past.
They now appear as an ingredient in many recipes, not only for their nutritional role but also for the rich versatility that lets them adapt to a broad range of products.
They are a good source of plant-based protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and unsaturated fats.
Research shows consuming them may be associated with many health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease, hypertension and inflammation.
If you are going to use nuts in cooking, be aware of the following common mistakes.
Forgetting to toast your nuts
Nuts are tasty enough in their raw state, but when they are toasted, they shine. Browning nuts help to develop their flavour, turning their regular, slightly creamy tones into deep, complex combinations of tastes.
Toasting any type of nut unlocks its earthiness in full force, which can then help to round out your food’s flavour profile and provide a balance to acidity and heat.
Using salted nuts
As delicious as they taste, salted nuts can alter the taste of your dish. It is better to unsalted nuts to have a natural earthy taste in your dishes.
The problem with salted nuts is that they can easily increase the salt levels of your dishes in the territories where it is not needed.
As reducing the salt levels of any dish is hard once added, you might end up having an over-salty and unpleasant meal. This could especially be a problem when you are using nuts in your baked goods.
Toasting nuts too long
As mentioned, in most preparations, toasted nuts are both more visually attractive and better tasting than raw nuts.
But it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Toasting nuts for too long will make them bitter or even worse, burn them.
It is important to keep in mind the fact that toasting nuts is not like toasting marshmallows.
Some nuts (such as almonds) do not change much in colour or appearance when properly toasted. So, trust your nose more than your eyes to determine when they are ready. Once you start to smell them, they are close to done.