Five-spice Glazed Nuts

Total Time: 19 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 4 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups unsalted nuts (choice of almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (measured after sifting)
• peanut oil, for frying
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 bring a large pot of water to a boil. add nuts and blanch for a quick 30 seconds. drain well, and transfer to a medium bowl. while nuts are still hot and slightly wet, add powdered sugar and toss to coat. continue stirring and tossing until all the sugar has “meltedâ€? into the nuts; if bits of un-melted sugar remain on the nuts, they will not fry properly. so be sure it coats each nut.
• 2 in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°f
• 3 stir the nuts again before frying. using a large asian strainer.
• 4 or slotted spoon, transfer a few nuts to the hot oil, allowing the foam to subside before adding another spoonful. (otherwise, the oil could foam over and burn you.not a good thing!) fry in small batches until the nuts are medium brown, about 30-45 seconds; be careful not to overcook. use a asian strainer or slotted spoon to remove the nuts from the oil, and scatter them on an unlined baking sheet to cool slightly.
• 5 in a small bowl, stir together the five-spice powder with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of freshly ground pepper.
• 6 while the nuts are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle evenly with about half of the spice mix. toss well to distribute the spices and then taste a nut. add more spice mix to taste, and toss well after each addition. when cool, pack into an airtight jar.
• 7 they will keep at room temperature for at least 2 weeks if no one knows they are there!