Dry fruits and nuts are versatile and can be used to elevate the flavour of your meal
Can you imagine enjoying a bowl of kheer without dry fruits? It sounds almost impossible, right? One of the most versatile food ingredients in an Indian kitchen, dry fruits and nuts are widely used in various types of sweet and savoury dishes. Almonds, cashew nuts, pistachio, raisins, and more - options are many - each having unique flavour, aroma, and texture, adding a whole new character to a dish. But do you know what the biggest problem is? Slicing these nuts and dry fruits. Either you end up chopping them unevenly, or the dry fruits stick to your fingers, making it all messy. But fret not, we have a solution for it too! You just need to follow some basic steps to make the process fuss-free. Take a look.
Also Read: 5 Benefits Of Eating Overnight Soaked Dry Fruits On An Empty Stomach
4 Key Points To Remember While Chopping Dry Fruits And Nuts:
1. Use neutral oil:
Dry fruits like raisins, berries et al can get really sticky. So, we suggest, taking some vegetable oil or any neutral oil on a paper towel and wiping the length of the blade. This makes the blade smooth and shiny and helps you chop dry fruits with ease.
2. Soak the nuts:
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, etc. can be really hard. So, we suggest soaking them in water for at least an hour before cooking. This will soften the outer surface, making them easy to chop. For almonds, we suggest peeling the brown outer skin before chopping.
3. Freeze them:
An alternative to soaking, you can also freeze the dry fruits and nuts for a while before chopping. Freezing reduces the stickiness of dry fruits and also makes it easier to remove the outer layer of nuts.
4. Use a chopper:
Today, you will find various manual and automatic choppers in the market, specially designed to chop dry fruits and nuts. Get hold of one of those gadgets and avoid any kind of fuss while cooking.
Also Read: How To Store Dry Fruits For Better Shelf Life - 4 Easy Tips
Can You Store Chopped Dry Fruits And Nuts?
The best practice is to chop and use the ingredients immediately. This will help you enjoy the flavours and crunch to the fullest. But we understand that due to a shortage of time, people often store these ingredients in bulk to avoid any hassle at the time of cooking. If you want to do so, we suggest using an airtight container to lock the moisture properly and store it in a cool and dark place, preferably a refrigerator.
Now that we have spoken so much about the delectable dry fruits, let's use them to make some delicious dishes. Click here for our favourite dry fruits-based recipes.