Spiced Roasted Cashews at Home (and a Shortcut If You'd Rather Not)

Spiced cashews are a party staple, and they're simple to make at home. You need plain cashews, a little oil, spices and about 15 minutes in the oven. The smell alone is worth it.

2 cups plain (unroasted) cashews, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a spice mix. A good Sri Lankan-style mix is 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and a few chopped curry leaves. Adjust the chilli to taste.

Heat the oven to about 170°C. Toss the cashews with the oil and spices in a bowl until evenly coated. Spread them in a single layer on a lined tray and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden. Watch them closely at the end, because they go from golden to too dark quickly. Let them cool completely on the tray, when they crisp up.

A little oil is what makes the spices cling, so don't skip it. You can also add a spoonful of water to the spices to make a paste before tossing. Adding the salt while the cashews are still warm helps it stick too.

If the cashews burn, your oven may run hot or the tray may be too high. Lower the heat by 10 to 15 degrees, roast on the middle shelf, and stir more often. If they come out soft, they simply have not cooled: they crisp as they cool, so leave them on the tray and do not cover them until they are completely cold. If the spices fall off, add a touch more oil or the water paste mentioned above and toss until every nut is coated.

Spread the cashews in a single layer. If they pile up, they steam and roast unevenly.

For a garlic and pepper version, swap the spice mix for garlic powder, black pepper and salt. For a sweet and spicy one, add a teaspoon of sugar or honey to the mix, and watch the tray more closely because sugar browns faster. A squeeze of lime over the cooled cashews brightens a chilli mix, and a pinch of ground cardamom suits a milder, sweeter version.

Taste a cooled nut before you decide on the seasoning, as flavours seem stronger when they are hot.

Two cups of cashews is roughly 300 grams, which is about ten handfuls. That is plenty for a small party or a few weeks of snacking if you keep to a portion, as we explain in how many cashews to eat a day.

Once cool, keep them in an airtight jar. They stay crisp for a couple of weeks. See how to store roasted cashews for more tips.

If you'd rather not turn on the oven, our Deviled Cashew is already roasted and seasoned with chilli, curry leaves and aromatic spices. Read what are devilled cashews? for more. Amounts and times are a guide, so adjust to your oven.