Most of us love to munch on fried peanuts or Bhimukk / Nelakadalo as its called in Konkani. It’s the most popular snack to have while watching a movie or reading a book or just for time pass – a anytime anywhere snack . It’s also the most easy to make snack too , You just need some raw peanuts , oil to fry & salt & spices . But the most tricky thing about frying is the correct timing to remove the peanuts from the hot oil . Otherwise you can end up with slightly burnt bitter ones or soft under done ones . I dedicate this post to my mother who was my first Guru in cooking.
There are two ways that you can prepare this . One is to soak and then fry & the other one is to directly fry . Both are tasty in their own way while the soaked way takes up less oil .
Ingredients :-
- Groundnuts / peanuts – Amount as per your wish
- Salt to taste
- Chilly powder – as per your spice level
- Hing – 1/4 tsp as a minimum
- Curry leaves – a sprig or two (optional )
- Oil to deep fry
Method – 1 :-
- For the direct deep frying method heat up the oil to hot . If using big burner in medium flame & if using small burner in high flame .
- In a bowl mix salt , chilli powder & hing and keep the spice mixture ready .Also the curry leaves to be fried .
- Drop carefully some peanuts in the hot oil . ( don’t crowd them too much in the oil ) .
- Keep stirring carefully . When you see a slight color change , reduce heat to low flame at once.
- Now is the tricky part . watch carefully to see the peanuts getting just fried – a strong aroma is the correct time to remove them from the oil.
- Remove to a colander for the excess oil to drain . Remember the peanuts go on cooking even after you remove them ..so it’s best to remove them slightly underdone – so that when they are cool they are rightly cooked & flavorful .
- After you have fried the peanuts . add the curry leaves in the oil . let them get fried to a crisp texture.
- Now sprinkle the spice mixture over the peanuts . repeat with each set of fried peanuts .
- Now toss them all together . your fried peanuts are ready to be served .
- For the second method . soak the peanuts in water for an hour or two till they swell up .
- Drain the water and let the peanuts become almost dry .( otherwise they may splutter while frying and spill oil )
- Drop them carefully when the oil is hot .
- You can notice they rise with a lot with lots of bubbles the top as they get cooked . Reduce heat . .
- When all the peanuts have risen to the top and the bubbles have nearly subsided – you get a strong aroma of the fried peanuts, drain them out to a colander
- Now add the spice mixture and fried curry leaves and toss well .
- These are ready to be served .
Konkani Khann Anik Jevan 