Seasoned, dry roasted cashews -- or other nuts

For a plant-based family like ours, nuts and seeds can play a big role. When it comes to eating them, we use many seeds in cooking, we use nut butters, and we also love roasted nuts. Among our favourite are dry roasted cashews with seasoning. Nuts are not inexpensive. Prepared nuts are expensive. Organic prepared nuts are very very pricey. We get around some of the expense by buy raw nuts, and roasting them ourselves.

I would recommend getting the freshest, best quality raw nuts you can, because stale nuts can definitely taste rancid. I am a huge fan of the Yupik raw cashews, which are a really good price and taste fantastic.

For 500 g of raw cashews, I put them in a big bowl, add a couple of tbsp of water, add in my seasaonings, mix them around, spread them on a lined baking sheet, and the dry roast them in the oven for 2 hours on a low temperature. Once they are fully cool, I store them in an airtight container. Fantastic, delicious, and really good for you. 250 is high enough for them to brown without getting too brown. Anyone who has roasted nuts on a high temperature has learned the sad downside of burnt nuts.

equipment needed:

mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring spoon
baking sheet
silicone mat or parchment paper


ingredients:

A)
500 g raw cashews (or other nuts)

B)
2-3 tbsp water

C)
1/2 - 3/4 tsp mountain salt
1 tsp vegetable seasoning or chili powder or mixed herbs and spices whatever you like -- why not a little lime juice and garlic?

directions
1. preheat the oven to 250
2. in a large bowl, toss together all the ingredients that you wish to use
3. give them a moment to absorb
4. spread the nuts on a lined baking sheet
5. bake at 250 for 2 hours
6. if the nuts are not as crisp as you would like them, you can turn your oven down to the lowest temperature (mine is 170) and dehydrate your nuts for a few more hours.
7. remove from oven and cool
8. once cool, store in an airtight container. I often use mason jars.

cooks notes:
1. if you like tamarind almonds, skip the water and just toss your almonds with 2 tbsp tamari before baking
2. i will sometimes soak my walnuts or almonds over night before draining, rinsing, and seasoning to bake them. They will then require extra dehydrating time on 170.
3. roasted nuts can make a nice host gift when going to someone's home.
4. err on the side of extra dehydrating for the nuts. Not-quite-crisp nuts just aren't as nice.