10 Simple Peanut Recipes

 Peanut : A Primer

Peanuts are not nuts, but legumes (same family as Peas / beans / pulses). A native of  South America, it was introduced by the Portuguese to the rest of the world. India and China account for over 50% of peanuts produced ( but export very little). US and Argentina account for over 50% of world's export of peanuts.

Usage in cuisines

Though mostly roasted / fried and eaten as a snack, peanuts appear in a few cuisines as an active ingredient. It is blended with onion / garlic / chilies and used as a sauce  in Peru and Indonesia. A similar blended sauce ( Thogayal) is cooked in Tamilnadu. In West Africa, peanut butter is often mixed in stews to cook Maafe. In the west, it is chiefly used as a garnish in salads, in cookies and in breads. 

Famine food

Peanut butter enriched with oil, powdered milk, sugar vitamins and minerals is used for emergency famine relief and to reverse severe malnourishment. Mix in peanut butter with some powdered milk and sugar and you have an ideal camping food. A spoon or two of enriched butter is enough to power your body for a few hours.

Anti Aging

Peanuts are packed with protein - making it nutritionally equivalent to meat and eggs. Like many nuts, roasted peanuts are rich in  anti oxidants and resveratrol ( an anti-aging chemical)

 

This cookbook lists 10 simple recipes using Peanuts, which pales in comparison with the genius George Carver’s 109 recipes using Peanuts. The following recipes are listed in this cookbook:

1.:     Peanut Podi ( Spicy Peanut powder)

2.:     Peanut butter

3.:     Peanut coconut chutney

4.:     Buddala Pachadi ( Andhra’s Spicy Peanut dip)  

5.:     Peanut butter milkshake  

6.:     Peanut sauce

7.:     Peanut milk 

8.:.    Thai Satay Sauce

9.:     Peanut Sundal (Peanut dry curry)  

10.:   Peanut Chikki ( Peanut brittle) 

And this is for Pavani's JFI- Peanuts, an event started by Indira.