Chinese Boiled Peanuts

What are Chinese Boiled Peanuts

Chinese boiled peanuts are totally a memory of my childhood. I still remember the old times when my family would snack on these at family gatherings. They are full of flavor. They are also a popular street snack in China. Southern-style boiled peanuts are very popular here in the US too like in South Carolina or Georgia. I am in Tennessee, and I often see the local gas station selling these in a crock pot. They are definitely an addicting snack.

The ingredients

Chinese boiled peanuts are a little different than American southern boiled peanuts. They are made of raw peanuts and some authentic dry ingredients like star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns. The key ingredient here is the raw fresh peanut, in the shell. Nowadays you can get raw peanuts from a local grocery store. A better thing I noticed is that the peanuts were previously open on one end(mostly), which is exactly the way I want it. It definitely makes the cooking process easier!

How to prepare the peanuts for cooking

The peanuts are raw, and you can see some dirt attached to the shell. You want to wash them very well before starting to cook them. I let my peanuts sit under the running tap water to get rinsed for two minutes, and then I use a colander to get the peanuts out. Then, I let the peanuts soak in the water for one hour so the dirt can be completely removed before cooking. In the meantime, I take any empty shells out and throw them away. They are normally floating on the top of the water line.

After one hour, I take the raw peanuts by a colander and use my finger to crack open one end of the peanut. Also, I make sure just to crack the peanut shell a little bit but not all the way. This way, the full flavor can get into the peanut during the cooking process. I strongly suggest you soak the peanuts before cooking them in order to reduce the cooking time.

Let’s Start Cooking the Peanuts

I mix every dry ingredient along with the salt, and then I fill up the pot with water or fill it enough to submerge the peanut. Then, I boil the pre-soaked peanuts on high heat and keep simmering them on low heat for about one and a half hours or more depending on the amount of peanuts. You can also cook them in a pressure cooker or instant pot. For this recipe, I am using the stovetop method.

If you prefer a softer peanut, you can always increase the cooking time.

How do you store and serve them?

Don’t forget to leave them soaking in the brine in the fridge overnight, so the peanut can absorb the maximum flavor.

You should keep the Chinese boiled peanuts in the liquid in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Of course, you can also store them dry if you don’t want to save the liquid. You can also freeze them, but I doubt there will be any leftovers!

You can eat the Chinese boiled peanuts hot or cold. They go well with a cup of Chinese green tea for an afternoon snack or a glass of cold beer. It is summer right now, so I prefer to eat them cold.

Recap

1. Wash the raw shelled peanuts under running water for two minutes. Then, soak the peanuts for at least one hour to loosen the dirt before cooking.
2. Bring the water to a boil and boil the presoaked peanut and all the spices for one and a half hours or more. (Cook longer if you prefer softer peanuts)

Tips:

1.Crack the one end of the raw peanuts, so the flavor can get into the peanut easily.

2.Let the peanut dry completely before storing them.

3.Soak the peanuts overnight for the fullest flavors.

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