It’s time to go nuts for some nuts variations! If you think that they are all the same thing then you’d be surprised because they come in different shapes, textures, flavours and crunch. Mm, delicious!
What’s even better about them is also how versatile they are to different cooking and baking methods. Eat them as a snack or try something new, it’s all up to you!
1. Peanuts
It is a legume but in terms of cooking usages, you can just call it a nut. You can roast it to make it crunchier and it usually has a somewhat sweet taste to it so it’s great for baking or well-known peanut butter spread for your bread. Furthermore, it is high in protein!
Price: RM 2.30
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
2. Almond
Almonds can have a hard texture yet taste sweet at the same time. They have been used as almond milk, flour and even oil for cooking and baking purposes so it goes to show how versatile this ingredient is. It also tastes delicious if you want to pair it with some chocolate or salad.
Price: RM 20.99 (500g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
3. Hazelnut
They come in small round shapes and tastes sweet enough to be used in baked goods or crunchy by themselves as an easy snack. There’s even a famous chocolate spread that uses hazelnut in their ingredient to make things taste all the better.
Price: RM 17.30 (150g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
4. Chestnut
Chestnuts are commonly eaten as roasted nuts and it smells extremely aromatic when you are nearby the fire for roasted chestnuts. They have a soft texture after getting cooked but don’t eat the shell just because it smells and taste delicious.
Price: RM 4.45
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
5. Walnut
With an interesting shape and crunchy bite, most people love to use them in baking. It does taste slightly bitter because of its high tannins content but you can pair it well with some sweet dishes. You can also add it to some salads and slaws for extra taste.
Price: RM 42.75 (1kg)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
6. Cashew
Cashews have a curved structure and they can taste salty as snacks. However, they also make great alternatives for dairy products such as cashew milk and butter. You can fry it with certain dishes as well to make a savoury and slightly crispy meal.
Price: Rm 29.10 (500g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
7. Macadamia
These are high in healthy fat which makes that slight buttery taste to it whenever you chew into one. They make wonderful puree soups and butter including as an ingredient in baking like pies and cookies.
Price: RM 24.20 (500g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
8. Pecan
This is another ingredient that is commonly seen in baking like pies because of their natural sweetness. If you want them as snacks then you could try roasting or glazing them beforehand for a better taste and texture. Generally, roasting can enhance the nuts’ flavour.
Price: RM 12.45 (200g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
9. Pine nuts
They are soft and chewy plus great for adding flavours to your salads or making pesto from scratch. Thanks to its light flavour, most people enjoy pine nuts which also includes roasting them before consumption.
Price: RM 17.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
10. Pistachio
Pistachio is quite common in mixed nuts packages for snacks and they have been known to be used in desserts such as pistachio ice cream, baklava, and nougats. It has a rich flavour which makes it great for desserts so do try along those dishes when you want something incorporated with pistachios.
Price: RM 31.99 (250g)
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
How to choose and store nuts:
- It is cheaper to buy nuts in bulk purchases.
- Store nuts in airtight containers to help them last longer.
- Roasting nuts can enhance their flavours especially in cooking and baking but, it can easily go bad when it gets more oily.
It depends on what you want to do with the nuts such as for snacks or using it for cooking and baking because they can give different results. It is also important to understand nut allergies in case you are serving them to someone else because some people might be allergic to the whole category of nuts while some are fortunate enough to only be allergic to a certain type. Otherwise, you are free to choose what suits your tastebuds.
Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us support@myweekendplan.com.my. For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
