Spicy Lime Nuts

Peter and I first discovered these spicy lime nuts in Siem Reap. We had stopped for a rest in between temple hopping at the ruins of Angkor and were served the nuts as a zesty snack while we sipped local beer and fresh coconuts.

Peter at Angkor Wat

Peter and I loved how the nuts were tossed with delicious garlic pieces and thin slivers of flavorful lemongrass. We were just about to purchase a generous bag of this salty, spicy goodness to bring back to Hong Kong until we took a glance at the high prices and realized they were absolutely nuts!

Peter and I temple hopping in Angkor

Although Cambodia is an underdeveloped country, they sure now how to make the most of  their tourists. We opted to save our cash for massages and wood handicrafts and I promised to recreate the snacks for us at home.

Spiced lime nuts are served throughout Southeast Asia (I’ve seen them in both Cambodia and Thailand) and make the perfect accompaniment for your favorite beer whether your traveling or just relaxing at home.

My version is a little bit spicy and has tons and tons of flavor– Garlic. Spice. Lemongrass. Lime.

These nuts are downright addicting, y’all.

I use whole cumin sand coriander seeds but you can always use powder versions (just skip the toasting and grinding steps). And while I think raw peanuts are the way to go, it can be a pain if you are de-shelling and un-peeling them by hand so you could certainly try it the recipe with plain, roasted peanuts as well.

Just be careful not to add extra salt when following the recipe if you are using salted peanuts!

Make these spicy lemongrass and lime nuts. You won’t regret it. You’ll be too busy shamelessly licking the spices off your fingers instead.