Baked Cashews with the Flavors of Laab

I goofed around in the kitchen and came up with these crunchy cashews, encrusted with what is essentially Laab dressing with the flavors of fresh lime and chilli as well as the fragrance of toasted rice powder. This is the kind of stuff that makes you cringe when you see other people do it: Tom Yam peanuts, Thai lime-lemongrass almonds, Thai lime-chilli macadamia nuts, etc.

But when it's you who do it? Delicious. I'm such a hypocrite.


Baked Cashews with the Flavors of Laab
(Makes slightly over one pound)
Printable Version

1 pound raw cashews
2 teaspoons plain vegetable oil (Do not use olive oil!)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon toasted rice powder
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Mix everything together in a mixing bowl, making sure the cashews are thoroughly coated. Spread the cashews on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring the cashews around every 6-7 minutes to make sure they're evenly cooked (the ones around the edges tend to cook more quickly). Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until the cashews are golden brown.¹ Keep an eye on the cashews very closely during the last stage of baking at a higher temperature. Check on them every minute or two, and do not walk away from the oven; the cashews go from being golden brown to burnt in just a matter of seconds.

Let the cashews cool completely before serving or storing them in an airtight container.

¹ It's important that you bake the cashews at a lower temperature first. This helps dry up the cashews without causing them to brown too soon while much moisture is still trapped inside. Baking them at a higher temperature at the last few minutes will make the thoroughly-dehydrated cashews brown up nicely. If you bake the cashews at 350°F from the beginning, the cashews won't be as crunchy and will become soft upon storage.