Makes 350g
1 tablespoon amchoor
½ teaspoon ajwain, crushed
2 teaspoons nigella seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
40 dried curry leaves, crushed to a powder
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
100g caster sugar
1 tablespoon smoked salt
35g unsalted butter
350g mixed shelled unsalted nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, brazils, macadamias, pecans, peanuts…
handful of fresh curry leaves vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Prepare a silicon sheet, or line a baking sheet with foil, and keep it close to the hob.
Mix together the amchoor, ajwain, nigella and fennel seeds, cumin, cayenne pepper, ginger, pepper, crushed dried curry leaves and turmeric in a small bowl, then set aside.
Next, heat the sugar and smoked salt in a large saucepan with 50ml of water until the sugar and salt dissolve and the syrup thickens to a one-string consistency (see page 11). Add the butter, then whisk continuously for 3–4 minutes over a medium heat until you have a runny honey-like caramel.
Tip in the spices from the small bowl all at once, mix well, then add the nuts. Stir thoroughly to coat everything in the sticky spiced caramel. Spread on to the silicon mat or prepared baking sheet, scraping the spiced sugar mixture over the nuts. Bake for 15–17 minutes, tossing with a spatula every 5 minutes to coat in the sugar and ensure they don’t burn. Remove from the oven, toss one last time and leave to cool completely; the sugar coating will harden around the nuts as they cool.
Quickly fry the fresh curry leaves in hot vegetable oil for 30–45 seconds, until they crisp up.
Sprinkle the cooled nuts with the Kashmiri chilli powder and the hot freshly fried curry leaves just before serving.
Tip: Serve broken up into clusters and piled high in small bowls, with drinks. It’s best to make a double batch, as these can be quite addictive…
Photo credit: Jax Walker
