Peanuts are nutritious, containing various vitamins, lecithin, protein, palmitic acid, and more. Frying, deep-frying, or stir-frying peanuts can destroy the vitamin E and other nutrients they are rich in, whereas boiling them causes less damage. Furthermore, from a texture perspective, fried peanuts are quite greasy, while boiled peanuts are refreshing. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, peanuts themselves contain a large amount of plant oil. When cooked at high temperatures, this can change peanuts' neutral nature into a "hot" and "dry" one, and eating them frequently or in large quantities can easily lead to "internal heat." Boiled peanuts, on the other hand, retain the plant's original active compounds, such as plant sterols, saponins, resveratrol, and antioxidants, and have a significant effect in preventing malnutrition, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. [China Cuisine]
When boiling peanuts, the amount of water and fuel required often troubles many people. Here's a little tip for you. Before boiling, first place all the spices at the very bottom of the pot. Then add the washed peanuts. Finally, add enough water to cover the peanuts by the depth of one hand's back. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn off the heat after 5 minutes. Let it steep for another hour after turning off the heat. This not only saves water and fuel but also allows the peanuts to absorb the flavor better.
In addition to being boiled, peanuts are often paired with other dishes. Kung Pao Chicken is a classic example, and the currently popular "diving peanuts" are a fresh and crispy treat. This involves briefly marinating fresh peanut kernels (with the red skin removed) in a pickle jar, then serving them with chili peppers and pickle juice, or simply mixing the peanut kernels with seasonings like vinegar and small chilies for a cold salad. Below, we recommend two more recipes: Preserved Egg and Crispy Peanuts
Method:
1. Peel and chop the preserved eggs into small cubes. Remove the skins from the peanuts and chop them into small pieces.
2. Finely chop the garlic greens, scallions, chilies, and garlic. Chop the cilantro and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the chopped ingredients with soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. To serve, add this dressing to the peanuts and preserved eggs and enjoy.
Peanut Rice Tea
Ingredients: 2 spoons brown rice, 2 spoons peanuts, 1 bowl rock sugar.
Method:
1. Soak the brown rice for 8 hours, then blend it with the peanuts in a juicer to make a brown rice peanut paste.
2. Bring 6 bowls of water to a boil in a pot. Gradually pour in the brown rice peanut paste, stirring continuously with a soup spoon as you pour. Add the rock sugar and stir well just before turning off the heat.