Braised Peanuts

Braised Peanuts

Remember the leftover sauce from the Teochew Braised Duck and the Braised Eggs? Well, I didn't want to waste it and going through my WW3 food stock, I came across a big bag of jumbo peanuts and decided to do what I had bought them for in the first place : Braised Peanuts.

Do you remember the braised peanuts that you have eaten at fun fairs and other roadside events in Singapore? The braised peanuts that they serve you when you arrive at some Chinese restaurant to "open" your appetite and shorten the wait? Or the braised peanuts they serve as part of a Teochew Porridge feast? Well, I have been thinking about these soft, salty peanuts and have been wanting to make them. It is like making a trip back to my childhood, to the colourful candyfloss sold in plastic bags, to the tongtong candy, to the braised peanuts. That was such a very long time ago.

Braised Peanuts :

250g Big Peanuts (shells removed)

Enough water to cover them and more

1 Star Anise

1 Cinnamon Stick

1/4 Tsp 5-spice powder

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 Tp Light Soy Sauce

Soak the peanuts in hot water for at least 2 hours.

Boil water in a pot with the star anise and cinnamon bark. Pour in the seasoning and the peanuts and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours or when they turn soft.

As you can see, the only difficulty is the long time it takes to braise and soften the peanuts.

Mine were very dark in colour because I used the leftover sauce from the duck and eggs, otherwise the braised peanuts would normally be a light brown.