Goodness of Peanuts

Groundnuts are also called the King of edible oil seeds; it was one of the first cultivated crops having originated from South America. Popularly also known as peanut, monkey nuts and gobber nut, earth nuts and the most common term in Hindi moong phalli! It is the 13^th most important food crop and 4^th most important oil seed crop of the world. The goodness of peanuts is evinced from different dishes made in various parts of the world.

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The taste of groundnuts in various forms in the kitchen and bakery is just awesome and the aromas which build up when we use peanuts in the recipes are just so very appetizing and mouthwatering too. My experience with these nuts has been amazing from the boiled peanut chaat in varied fusion forms from the Indonesian peanut bhel to the Mexican moong phalli nachos and salsa, grilled peanut cutlets with chilli soy dip, peanut brown rice risotto with sun-dried tomato and basil, peanut butter phirni with dates and walnut praline, nutty peanut macaroons, banana peanut bread and the list goes on…

Around the 16^th century groundnuts entered India and since then they have been grown in several parts of the country and at present groundnuts are grown on a large scale in almost all tropical and sub-tropical countries as well. Besides being regarded as a vital food crop groundnuts belong to the legume family just like beans and peas.

Here are a few Health Benefits of Peanuts:

1. They are rich in fibre and protein content which is very beneficial for our bodies,

2. These nuts are said to be high in nutritive values and are good for the brain and enhance memory power.

3. Groundnuts are heart-healthy food and stabilize good and bad cholesterol in our system.

4. They contain good fats which can be included in our diets and they are also rich in anti-oxidant properties.

5. Groundnuts also help regulate blood sugar levels and also assist in healthy weight loss regimes.

6. They are good for our skin and keep us glowing, fight free radicals within us and contain amino acids, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as well.

7. These nuts are a high source of energy and are good to start the day with in many forms as well.

8. Groundnuts are good for the bones and bone maintenance in our body and therefore should be consumed once in a while.

9. Peanuts also contain plenty of potassium, low in carbs, they also have magnesium and essential vitamins to help our body.

10. They are also good for eyesight since it has a considerable amount of zinc which is beneficial for good vision.

Culinary Uses of Peanuts in the Kitchen & Bakery:

 1. Peanuts or groundnuts –seeds are used for roasting or salting for the preparation of the yummy peanut butter. The filtered refined peanut oil is also used to prepare cooking oil which is regarded as an important food oil, and it is also used in the manufacture of margarine.

2. The healthy protein content found in peanuts is used in the manufacturing of synthetic fibre. we also find vegetable ghee being made from peanut oil after hydrogenation.

4. The peanut kernels are an important source of creating peanut butter either smooth and creamy or crunchy varieties as we get.

5. Peanut flour is also prepared for making cakes and can be substituted in several recipes for refined flour or in combination as well and these concoctions have turned out to be really wonderful and cost-effective too in many ways.

6. I love peanut butter in most of my recipes be it dips, dressings, spreads for sandwiches, wraps and rolls, be it for a spread on pizza bread, to add it to my sauces to go along grills and marinated meats etc.

7. Peanuts also turn out to be good when lightly roasted, crushed to a coarsely smooth texture and added to Indian gravies as a thickening agent/ flavouring agent and adds a good aroma as well be it with chicken/ meat/ vegetables or even in vegan recipes.

8. Peanuts also go well into smoothies, and health shakes in combination with dates, bananas, mangoes, pears, kale and spinach, berries and seeds like flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, digestive biscuits etc. It is also good to try these energy drinks using vegan options of milk like almond milk, oats milk, cashew milk or a combination also does well.

9. Baked dishes like puffs, pies, quiche and tarts, stir fry options, saute and serve combinations can also involve peanuts in combination with ingredients like bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, noodles, brown rice, pasta, quinoa, millets, barley etc. adding peanuts to soups also is a good way to thicken them up and get some body and texture into them.

10. Soy bean granules and peanut combination is also a hit when it comes to doing fillings for cutlets, croquettes, parathas, koftas, and even for layering lasagna pasta sheets with some nice spicy homemade tomato makhani with basil and chilli flakes with a combination of cheese and assorted veggies!

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Here are a few interesting ways with Groundnuts/ Peanuts:

Recipe-1] NUTTY PEANUT VEGGIE SALAD

Recipe-2] HEALTHY PEANUT BROTH

Recipe-3] STIR FRIED PEANUT NOODLES

Recipe-4] HEALTHY PEANUT SHAKE

Recipe- 5] BAKED BREAD PUDDING WITH PEANUTS

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