Roasted Peanuts

Roasted Peanuts always does a number on my taste buds. Here’s my memory of this wondrous little snack…..

“Yeah ras, gimme two salt and two fresh,” I say as I wind down my side window…. The tall slim Rastafarian or Bobo ‘shanti (as I would say based on his attire) approached me.  His dreadlocks always neatly hidden under a head-wrap and clothes always neatly pressed.  A large bag, hung across his chest, was filled with small brown paper bags of roasted peanuts and some cashew nuts too.  Now, if you have the extra money  you can buy the cashew nuts.  He quickly dips and shakes the brown paper bags; he listens to the grains (indicative of the salt) and then hands me my gracious prize.

“Yeah, give thanks.”, he would reply.  I hand him my twenty dollar bill before he moves on to another customer on the busy main road.   Another driver, already with his with money in hand, flags him down.  The driver collects their own gracious prize…before the traffic light turns green again.

Immediately, while driving I can’t even wait. So, with one hand on the steering wheel I open the neatly folded brown paper bag with my other hand.  I always enjoy a little mid-evening salty snack on the road while driving in the molasses speed traffic.

I am motivated to prepare my own roasted peanuts.

Eating peanuts in my car under the sweltering hot sun always help keep my mind from dwelling on the traffic.  I am usually on the road, sometimes for as much as an hour in the thick of traffic leaving Port of Spain on afternoons. Somehow that’s how it has been for me and my relationship with salted peanuts for some time now. 

I’ve discovered that the bottled roasted peanuts bought from the supermarkets just doesn’t have that pizazz of warm oven roasted peanuts.  Why buy roasted peanuts in the supermarket when a little warm brown bag  of  peanuts is just around the  corner?

Lately I’ve been thinking how those Rastafarians get their product to the “market” just in time for the peak of traffic.  Or how do they even organise the whole roasted peanuts “operation” without any one person trying to monopolize. Anyhow, (crunches two peanuts in my mouth skin and all) enough about me trying to macco de Rastaman business

…. Today I’m going to show you how to make roasted peanuts like dem rastas does sell .  Now I didn’t get it from some rasta, but with a little research online I got something close to what they sell on the road. In my opinion it’s a little healthier since it doesn’t have the salt thinly caked on the skin.

Roasted Peanuts Recipe

 ROASTED PEANUTS

400g peanuts (about 2 cups)
4 tbsp salt
2 cups water

Boil 2 cups water. Pour in a bowl and add 4 tbsp salt. Stir until dissolved.

Soak the peanuts in the brine for 20 mins.

Drain and place on a baking sheet or pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper.

Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F, then bake at 350 degrees F for 20 mins.

Note: Easy clean up when when done and not too much salt residue either. Just perfect!

Print this recipe

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Roasted Peanuts

Course Appetizers

Cuisine Caribbean

Author Felix (Simply Trini Cooking)

Ingredients

• 400 g peanuts about 2 cups
• 4 tbsp salt
• 2 cups water

Instructions

• Boil 2 cups water. Pour in a bowl and add 4 tbsp salt. Stir until dissolved.
• Soak the peanuts in the brine for 20 mins.
• Drain and place on a baking sheet or pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
• Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F, then bake at 350 degrees F for 20 mins.

There you have it, simply delicious. Now you don’t have to buy roasted peanuts for Christmas or any other occasion. If you’re so motivated make and sell to your neighbours and friends lol. More recipes to come.

Ah gone!