Indian Spiced Nuts With Coconut Food

SPICED COCONUT-PASSIONFRUIT SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and allspice in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. Add the rum, vanilla and coconut extract, mixing until combined. Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until almost entirely incorporated. Fold in the coconut flakes with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the dough in half and press each piece flat between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough slightly thicker than 1/8 inch thick. Stack the flattened dough pieces on a baking sheet (don't remove the parchment paper) and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour.
• Working with one piece at a time, peel the top layer of parchment off a dough sheet and flip onto the workstation. Peel off the remaining sheet. (Alternatively, you may loosen the parchment on both sides to cut directly on the paper.) Use a 1 3/4-inch round cutter to punch out cookies and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart. (If the dough becomes soft while you are working, return it to the refrigerator until firm.) Reroll and cut out any scraps.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the curd: Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a medium heatproof bowl until well mixed and lightened in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the puree. Set the mixture over the pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened like pudding, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
• Transfer the chilled curd to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag and snip about 1/2-inch off one corner. To fill, flip over half the cookies and pipe 1 to 2 teaspoons curd onto each. Top with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for the curd to set and the cookies to soften slightly.

NEWSPAPER NUTS: INDIAN SPICED NUTS WITH COCONUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix the peanuts, pecans, coconut, oil, coriander cumin, garam masala and salt together and pour onto the baking sheet. Toast for 40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through for even baking. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. If you're taking them to the beach, make little parchment cones and pour some nuts into each one!
• Add the green cardamom seeds, cloves, black cardamom seeds and cinnamon sticks to a spice/coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

INDIAN-STYLE RICE WITH CASHEWS, RAISINS AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in rice, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, chicken stock, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt, turmeric, bay leaf, raisins, and cashew halves. Bring to a boil, then cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

SWEET & SPICY NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Mix the oil with the spices, then stir in the nuts and drizzle over half the honey. Spread over a baking sheet and cook for 10 mins.
• Remove from the oven and drizzle over the remaining honey, then return to the oven and cook for a further 10 mins. Allow to cool completely.

INDIAN-SPICED NUTS WITH COCONUT

Steps:

• To make the garam masala, put the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green and black cardamom seeds in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground. Store in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight, up to 6 months.
• Make the nuts: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the peanuts, pecans, coconut flakes, vegetable oil, cumin, coriander, 2 teaspoons of garam masala and salt in a bowl and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes , rotating halfway through for even baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.