Peanuts
Flavour Profile
Earthy, buttery and deeply savoury. Raw peanuts taste a bit like garden peas, but once roasted, they develop a complex, toasted sweetness and a rich, oily mouthfeel.
Health Benefits
Peanuts give you protein, good fats, and biotin, which helps your body get energy from food and keeps your skin in decent nick. You also get some copper for your immune system and cell defence. Worth remembering that a handful of peanuts is quite a lot of calories.
Buying Tips
Look for heavy shells with no cracks or holes if buying whole. For shelled nuts, avoid any that look shrivelled or dusty.
If buying peanut butter, check the label. You want 100% peanuts and maybe a bit of salt. Avoid the ones pumped full of palm oil and sugar.
Storage
Peanuts have a high oil content, which means they can go rancid. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard.
If you have a large stash, keep them in the fridge or freezer. It sounds weird, but it stops the oils from spoiling.
Cooking Uses
Peanuts are versatile. Use them crushed as a crunchy topper for stir-fries or blended into satay sauces.
They provide the fatty backbone for many West African stews and Southeast Asian dressings. Roasting them first is non-negotiable for maximum impact.
Forkin' Food Theory
The peanut is a liar. It isn't a nut; it's a legume, more closely related to lentils and chickpeas than walnuts or cashews.
Because they grow underground rather than on trees, they have a much higher moisture content when harvested.
This is why "blanching" peanuts is a specific step in roasting—you aren't just cooking them; you are driving out moisture to let the oils take over. If you don't get that moisture out, they stay chewy rather than crunchy.