Monsoon Cravings Get a Wholesome Twist With These California Walnut Recipes

Among the recipes suited for rainy-day indulgence are Walnut-Crusted Mozzarella Bites with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Aioli, California Walnut Loaded Roast Potatoes and Dahi Walnut Kebab.

For the California Walnut-Crusted Mozzarella Bites, the ingredients include 2 cups California walnuts, 14-15 mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 4 beaten eggs, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour and about 4 cups vegetable oil for frying.

The Sun-Dried Tomato and California Walnut Aioli requires ½ cup finely ground California walnuts, ½ cup water, 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 6 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped.

To prepare the ground California walnuts, place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped to a texture similar to breadcrumbs. Measure 1 cup of ground walnuts for the mozzarella bites and reserve the remaining ½ cup for the aioli.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and dry the mozzarella balls with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup ground walnuts, panko breadcrumbs, salt and spices. In a shallow or medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs until combined, while placing the flour in a separate shallow or medium-sized bowl.

One at a time, dredge each mozzarella ball in flour, followed by the egg, ensuring it is completely coated. Shake off excess egg and roll the mozzarella ball in the walnut and panko mixture until fully coated. Transfer the bites to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes before frying.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet to 180-190°C. Remove the mozzarella bites from the freezer and, while still cold, fry them in small batches until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined tray. Serve immediately. The mozzarella bites can be kept warm in a 120°C oven until ready to serve.

Another monsoon option is California Walnut Loaded Roast Potatoes. The recipe requires 1.2 kg potatoes cut into chunks, 8 tablespoons oil, 100g chopped California walnuts, 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 3 sprigs rosemary with the leaves chopped, 50g finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano and ½ x 25g pack chopped parsley.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes until they begin to soften around the edges. Drain and return them to the pan, then toss with 3 tablespoons oil.

Place half the walnuts in a food processor and blitz to create a fine crumb texture. Mix in the garlic, rosemary, Parmesan and half of the remaining walnuts, then season well. Toss the mixture into the potatoes and transfer them to a large roasting tin, spreading them evenly.

Drizzle over the remaining oil and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes, add the remaining walnuts and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Dahi Walnut Kebab, credited to Chef Abinas Nayak, combines hung curd with California walnuts for another hot monsoon snack. The ingredients include 1 cup hung curd, 1 teaspoon brown onion paste, 1 teaspoon roasted California walnut paste, 3 teaspoons grated paneer, 2 teaspoons grated cheese, 1/2 teaspoon chopped coriander, 1/2 teaspoon mint leaves, 1-2 chopped green chillies, 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin and fennel, 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and salt as per taste.

For the walnut paste, a handful of roasted walnuts is blended with a little water and a teaspoon of walnut. To prepare the kebab mixture, mix everything into a thick paste and refrigerate it for half an hour.

For the walnut crust or crumb, roughly blend roasted walnuts and spread them in a flat tray. Take a dollop of the Dahi Kebab mixture and coat it with the prepared walnut crust. Shallow fry the Dahi Kebabs with ghee on a hot seasoned tawa.

The three recipes bring California walnuts into crispy mozzarella bites, roasted potatoes and Dahi Kebabs, offering warm and comforting options for rainy-day indulgence.