Five-Spice Peanuts

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Country of Origin

China (Nationwide)

Description

A timeless bar snack and drinking companion across China. Raw, skin-on peanuts are gently simmered in a heavily aromatized brine infused with star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and numbing Sichuan peppercorns, transforming them into tender, deeply savory, and highly addictive bites.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served at room temperature or chilled in small ceramic bowls, often with a few pieces of the whole spent spices left mixed in for visual rustic charm. It is the ultimate accompaniment to ice-cold beer.

Ingredients

• 300g (10.5 oz) raw, unsalted skin-on peanuts

• 4 cups water (for boiling)

• 1.5 tbsp coarse sea salt

The Five-Spice Infusion:

• 3 whole star anise

• 1 small stick cinnamon or cassia bark

• 1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 3 whole cloves

• 2 bay leaves

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Rinse Peanuts: Place the raw peanuts in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold water to clean any residual dust.

2. Combine Spice Batch: In a medium saucepan, combine the 4 cups of water, coarse sea salt, star anise, cinnamon stick, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves, bay leaves, and rinsed peanuts.

3. Bring to Boil: Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil.

4. Simmer and Soften: Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, cover the pan tightly with a lid, and let the peanuts simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes. The peanuts will lose their raw crunch and soften into a pleasant, slightly firm, creamy texture.

5. Steep for Deep Flavor (Optional): Turn off the heat. For the absolute best results, leave the peanuts inside the spiced brine to steep for an extra 1 to 2 hours as it cools down. This allows the core of the peanuts to fully lock in the salty, aromatic five-spice profile.

6. Drain and Serve: Pour the contents through a strainer to discard the brine. Discard the loose bay leaves and cloves if desired, and pile the peanuts into a bowl to serve.

Cooking Tips

• The Doneness Check: If you prefer your boiled peanuts completely soft and buttery (common in southern style cooking), increase the simmer time to 1 hour or more. If you prefer them with a subtle, snappy bite to contrast your drinks, 35 minutes is the sweet spot.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~280 kcal

• Total Fat: 24g

• Saturated Fat: 3.5g

• Cholesterol: 0mg

• Sodium: ~580mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 8g

• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Sugars: 2g

• Protein: 12g