AI-generated image
Maní tostado
Roasted peanuts
Maní tostado: Havana's warm roasted peanuts, salted or sugared, sold in twists of paper
Walk along the Malecón or through Parque Central in Havana at dusk and you will hear the manisero before you see him, calling out "¡Maní!" with a basket of warm peanuts rolled into little paper cones. They are the snack for an evening stroll by the sea wall and for long nights in the stands at the Estadio Latinoamericano. Some vendors sell them simply salted, others glazed in a crunchy coat of sugar, so this recipe gives both. The nuts are toasty and crisp with papery skins that flake off as you eat. They contain peanuts, and whole nuts are a choking risk for children under five. Chef's tip: take the tray out when the nuts look a shade too pale; they keep colouring for a few minutes as they cool.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the peanuts
- 10 ½ oz raw peanuts in their red skins
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp water
For the sugared version (optional)
- 2 ⅛ oz white sugar (optional)
- 3 tbsp water (optional)for the syrup
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Spread 10 ½ oz raw peanuts in their red skins on a baking tray in a single layer.
2 minStep 2: Roast for 12–15 minutes, shaking the tray halfway. They are ready when the skins look dry and crackly and a nut split in half is light gold inside and smells toasty. Common mistake: judging by the outside; the red skins hardly change colour, so always break one open.
14 minStep 3: For salted maní, stir 1 tsp fine salt into 2 tbsp water until dissolved, tip the hot peanuts into a bowl, pour over the brine and toss. Spread them back on the tray and return to the switched-off oven for 3 minutes, until the salt has dried into a fine white bloom.
4 minStep 4: For sugared maní, warm 2 ⅛ oz white sugar and 3 tbsp water in a wide pan over a medium heat until it bubbles, add half the roasted peanuts and stir constantly for 4–6 minutes, until the syrup turns sandy and clings to every nut. Spread on a lightly oiled tray and separate with a fork; the sugar is very hot.
6 minStep 5: Leave to cool completely, about 10 minutes; they crisp up as they cool. Roll squares of clean paper into cones, fold the bottoms and fill them the Havana way, or keep the nuts in a jar for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maní tostado take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Taiwanese