Candied Indian-style Pecans and Smoky Roasted Filburts

So I was feeling pretty guilty about not posting a recipe yesterday. I made a promise of posting every couple of days, but I ended up going out for pizza last night with my roommates David and Georgie who arrived home quite late from the College with visions of pesto and goat cheese covered thin crust pizza. And beer. Outstanding beer. I will probably mention this often on this blog, but the local brewery in Whitehorse, Yukon Brewing, is f-cking amazing. I'm currently on beer numero tres, and it is shaping up to be a splendid end to what turned into a hellishly busy week at work.

Anyway, I like nuts. Shut up. Nuts and beer go hand-in-hand. It's an age old tradition that taverns and pubs across the world have embraced for, what I have at least conjured in my mind to be, centuries. With guilt still lingering over me, and a number of beers left to go, I thought that making and then posting two recipes would be appropriate for the evening, even though technically, they have the same directions. One is an old standby that I really love, and have adjusted over time to have more of a sweet, Indian flair. The other came to me in the grocery store, and it ended up being fantastic so I thought I would pass it on. Hopefully, you too will enjoy my nuts. I know I do.

A quick note before I jump into the recipes. These recipes are gluten/dairy free, obviously high in protein and suitable for the glycemic-minded. As is, they are not vegan (they contain egg), but making them vegan is pretty simple. There are a number of vegan egg substitutes, but for a recipe like this, I would look at using flax meal and water as a substitute. 1 egg is equal to about 1 tbsp of flax meal combined with 3 tbsp of water. The flax is quite nutty, and will be a nice substitute in this recipe. I have never seen flax meal up north, but I have seen flax seeds at most grocers. As long as you have a grinder, or mortar and pestle, it will be a snap.

Candied Indian-style Pecans

2 cups raw pecans

1 egg white

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp fine white pepper

optional - 1/2 tsp amchur (you will not find this spice in the north. I brought it up from Calgary. Airport security looked concerned that it might be narcotic in nature. I will be posting later this weekend about how to get good quality spices brought up to you in remote communities. Also, 1/2 - 1 tsp of Garam Masala might also go nicely, though I haven't tried it).


Smoky Roasted Filburts
2 cups raw filburts (or hazelnuts, or for the Germans out there... haselnuss. Mmm... haselnuss)
1 egg white
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fine white pepper


1. Lightly whisk the wet ingredients together in a small bowl.

2. Add the nuts to the egg mixture, and stir until the nuts are well coated and little liquid remains in the bottom of the bowl.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix until the nuts are well coated in the spice mix.

4. Spread onto parchment paper-covered baking sheets. Avoid spreading excess liquid, which will burn on the parchment quite quickly (this is based on experience, it is not a good time). Bake for 12-15 minutes at 300 degrees, until the nuts and coating are dry and your house smells like a subcontinental Christmas miracle.


After a long week, and a nice ski after work, I am about ready to crack another beer and relax. Have a great weekend, everyone! Enjoy the snow (if you're lucky enough to have it)!