Toasted Tamari almonds with chili, kaffir lime and a touch of garlic make for a delightful and aromatic snack or appetizer.
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What Are Tamari Almonds?
You might have encountered Tamari almonds in a nut section of the supermarket or your local deli. These are usually roasted or toasted and seasoned with Tamari sauce, giving the nuts a deep brown colour and salty, umami flavour. The toasting of the nuts develops a crunchy texture, making them particularly satisfying to bite into.
Many years ago, I came across Tamari almonds that were also seasoned with lime, ground kaffir lime leaves and a little chili. I remember that wonderful warm, piquant flavour with an intense citrus aroma and refreshing, zesty note that contrasted beautifully with the natural sweetness of the almonds.
This combination of flavours—nutty, spicy, and citrusy—makes toasted almonds with chili and kaffir lime a complex, flavourful, and unique appetizer or a snack.
This recipe is a homemade version based on my memory of those beautiful Tamari almonds. I hope you like it!
What You’ll Need
Here is what you will need and some ideas for swaps. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Raw almonds
- Chili – flakes or ground chili; fresh chili can also be finely chopped for this recipe
- Lime – you will use the zest and the juice
- Tamari – this is a wheat-free, gluten-free version of soy sauce; coconut aminos can also be used; regular soy sauce can also be used if that’s what you have.
- Kaffir lime leaves – these are available in fresh or dry form from most Asian grocers and are often also be available in major supermarkets; for the fresh stuff, look near other herbs and for the dry leaves, check out the spice section or the Asian section of the store. If you can’t find any, go without. Chopped lemongrass is a nice alternative as well.
- Salt
How To Make Tamari Chili & Lime Almonds
- Heat a large frying pan without oil over high heat. Add almonds, reduce to medium-high, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Once they begin to color and smoke slightly, transfer to a side plate.
- In the meantime, finely chop garlic, kaffir lime leaf and chili if using fresh.
- Add oil, chopped chili, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves to the pan; cook for 30 seconds to release aromas. Return almonds, add Tamari sauce, and raise the heat. Season with salt, lime zest, and juice, and cook for another minute or two, stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat, transfer almonds to a tray, scraping all the seasoning from the pan. Let cool before storing in an airtight container.
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Ingredients
- 2.5 cups raw almonds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or macadamia oil
- 6 kaffir lime leaves finely chopped, about 1.5 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes or chopped fresh red chilies
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- Zest of 1 fresh lime
- Juice of ⅓ fresh lime
- ⅔ teaspoon sea salt
- 1.5 tablespoons Tamari or other wheat-free soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat without any oil. Add the almonds, then lower the heat to medium-high. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every minute initially and more frequently every 30 seconds during the last 5 minutes as they begin to toast faster. Watch for the almonds to change color and emit a light smoking aroma. Once done, transfer the almonds to a side plate.
- In the same pan, add some oil along with chopped chili, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves. Cook these ingredients over medium heat for about 30 seconds to release their fragrances. Then return the toasted almonds to the pan and drizzle with one and a half tablespoons of Tamari sauce. Increase the heat to high, adding sea salt, lime zest, and lime juice. Stir continuously and cook for another minute or two.
- Transfer the almonds to a wooden board or large tray, scraping all the seasoning from the pan onto the almonds. Allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Hi there,
I think I saw this recipe a few years ago from a site eatdrinkpaleo.com.au. That link is no longer active. Is this the same recipe?
I just remembered there was a mention of using activated almonds. Is that right?
Hey, yes the same recipe. You can use either regular raw almonds or do the activating if you have the time.