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Saffron and Lemon Toasted Almonds and Pistachios
What makes these saffron and lemon toasted almonds and pistachios irresistible is the sourness of lemon and a scent of saffron, in addition to the salt.
👥 9 Servings👤 Saghar Setareh📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●frying pan
- ●pan
- ●bowl
- ●wooden spoon
- ●oven
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Make the Saffron Infusion
2
Grind the saffron strands with the sugar in a small mortar. If you don’t have a small mortar, you can put the saffron and sugar on a piece of parchment paper, fold all the sides so the powder won’t escape, then grind with a jam jar or rolling pin until you have a very fine powder.
3
Bring a kettle of water to a boil, then let it sit for a few minutes. Tip the powder very gently into a small glass teacup, then gently pour 3 tablespoons of the hot water over it. (Never use boiling water, or you’ll “kill” the saffron.) Cover the cup with a lid or saucer and let the mixture “brew” for at least ⏱️ 10 minutes without removing the lid, to release the color and aroma of the saffron. After this time your saffron infusion is ready to use.
4
If you make a larger batch, store the leftovers in a clean sealed jar in the fridge for 4–5 days.
5
Make the Saffron and Lemon Toasted Pistachios
6
Place a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, mix the saffron infusion, hot water, salt, and lemon juice in a bowl until the salt has dissolved.
7
When you can feel the heat of the pan with your palm held 4 inches above it, reduce the heat to medium and toast the pistachios, constantly turning and flipping them so they don’t burn. After about ⏱️ 15 minutes, or when they smell toasty and nutty and they have darkened slightly, quickly add them to the saffron mixture and mix well, making sure all the pistachios are equally absorbing the liquid. Leave to soak for 10–⏱️ 15 minutes.
8
Wipe out the pan, so that any small crumbs don’t burn, and keep it warm over low heat.
9
Once the pistachios have rested, turn the heat back up to medium and return the soaked pistachios to the hot pan, with all the juices left in the bottom of the bowl. Keep moving and flipping the pistachios with a wooden spoon so that they don’t burn. After another 15–⏱️ 20 minutes, the pistachios should be perfectly dry. Remove from the heat and let them cool for 20–⏱️ 30 minutes before eating, as they may be very hot inside.
10
If you somehow manage not to eat all these toasted pistachios at once, it’s crucial to let them dry completely—either in the open air, spread out in a single layer for ⏱️ 24 hours, or in a 200°F oven for about ⏱️ 2 hours—before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you don’t do this, any humidity left inside the pistachios will make them moldy, and that would be a great pity.
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