Sometimes you feel like a nut...
sometimes you don't want an ordinary one...
Hmm. It doesn't really have the same ring now, does it?
oh well. I was at a farmer's market over the summer and got handed a cellophane bag full of roasted almonds sprinkled with wasabi powder.
It I was a normal person, I would have eaten the nuts, enjoyed them, and moved on. Instead, I immediately thought: oooh. I need to make these in the crockpot.
so I did!
The Ingredients.
serves 10
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are gluten free)
1 pound raw almonds
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons wasabi powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
The Directions.
Use a 2-quart slow cooker (you can use a big one, but stay close by and stir often to ward off possible burning). In a bowl, whisk together the egg white, water, and soy sauce until it's foamy. Toss the almonds in this mixture until they are wet. Set aside.
In a zippered plastic bag, combine the wasabi powder, kosher salt, and cornstarch. Drain any additional liquid from the almonds, and then dump the wet almonds into your zippered bag. Close well and shake until the almonds are nicely coated.
Pour these coated almonds into your slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 2 to 4 hours, or until toasty (the almonds will brown a bit and you'll definitely smell them. They will NOT be crunchy, but don't worry, they will be later!)
Spread out a layer of foil or parchment paper onto the countertop and dump out the nuts. Let the almonds dry completely before munching. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
The Verdict.
I love how nuts roast so beautifully in the cooker---don't worry if some are more brown than others---that's what makes them homemade! The flavor of the wasabi is subtle, and not spicy at all. The kids gobbled up their portions and I needed to take them away before they ate the ones I wanted to give away. If you'd prefer a stronger (spicier) flavor, you can sprinkle additional wasabi on top of your roasted nuts.
I was certain wasabi powder was going to cost a million dollars (or something close to it) but I was happily surprised to find it for $3.99 in the Asian cooking aisle of our normal grocery store. If you have trouble finding it, try a specialty market or order it off the internet (I love shopping in my jammies!).
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