Skip to main content

Perfumed Almonds

Almonds are considered brain food in India. They were always given to us in the morning, especially before exams, after they had been soaked overnight and then peeled. Each one of us got seven almonds—don’t ask me why. So here is a delicious, lightly perfumed morning dose for two people. The soaking makes them taste a bit like green almonds. The perfume is an added bonus. You may serve them with drinks. I often offer dinner guests a few of these almonds just before I serve dessert and coffee.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    14 almonds

Ingredients

14 whole almonds with skin
5 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

  1. Put the almonds, cardamom pods, and sugar in a small bowl. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the top, stir, and leave to soak for 12 hours. Refrigerate if leaving longer. Remove from the water, peel, and serve.

Image may contain: Human, Person, Madhur Jaffrey, and Plant
Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon.
Read More
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
The secret to flavorful, never-greasy eggplant parm? Brine the eggplant first.
Like hot honey chicken with peaches and a dirty martini spritz.
Our go-to banana bread recipe is moist, nutty, and incredibly easy to make.
Just as great with coffee for breakfast as it is with amaro for dessert.
Nutty, protein-packed, and batchable—perfect for hectic mornings.