This is a great snack. Sit down and shell the peanuts as a family.
The basic recipe was shown to me by a friend while I was living in Kenya. I’ve worked out measurements that work well every time I roast peanuts.
Roasted Peanuts
Roasted Peanuts
1 tsp Salt
1 ounce Water
2 cups Peanuts, shelled
Heat the peanuts in a large saucepan on medium high heat until the most of the nuts have light brown spots on them. Be sure to move the peanuts around by shaking the pan or using a spoon. Pour the water and salt into the pan and shake vigorously. Shake the nuts around over the heat until all sizzling stops. Pour into a heat resistant bowl or plate and let cool a bit before eating.
More About Peanuts in Africa:
Woman Selling Ground Nuts
Peanuts are not true nuts, but legumes. Peanuts originated in Mexico and South and Central America. The peanut was brought to Africa from Brazil by Portuguese settlers around 1800. The five largest peanut producers are the United States, Argentina, Sudan, Senegal, and Brazil. These countries account for over 70% of the peanut production in the world.
Peanuts, also called groundnuts in Africa, are known as jugu in Swahili. The Kikongo word (from the Kongo people of the Congo and Angola) “nguba” is the origin of the word “goober” used for peanuts today in the United States.
Peanuts are used in many recipes in Africa such as jugu cake from Tanzania, maafe – a meat stew in Mali, groundnut stew, peanut soup, peanut sauce, suya from Nigeria, and many many more recipes including a universal chicken in peanut-tomato sauce. Most of the recipes actually call for a peanut paste or peanut butter.
Peanuts are a good source of protein, niacin, and antioxidants. Roasted peanuts have antioxidant levels similar to blackberries and strawberries, and more than apples, carrots or beets.