The Nutty Chef

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malabar chestnuts
These Malabar chestnuts are ready to eat as soon as you remove the thin outer parchment surrounding the meat.

Malabar Chestnut (Pachira glabra)

Originally from Central and South America, this member of the Malvaceae (mallow) family is most commonly known as the ornamental “money tree.” The seeds taste like a cross between a fresh pea and roasted peanuts, and can be eaten raw, cooked, or ground into flour to make bread or mixed into a hot drink. The cooked leaves and flowers are also edible. Researchers in the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at Brazil’s Federal University of Ceará removed the germ, processed the meat into a milk, and found it high in protein (16 percent) and fats (40 to 60 percent), with levels of essential amino acids higher than in chicken eggs, human or cow milk.

I’ve sprouted Malabar chestnuts and used them in stir-fry with other vegetables and enjoyed the crunch of the seed and mildly sweet, nutty flavor. I also love to eat them fresh out of the husk as I stand under the shade of my twenty-foot tree. Chances are slim, but you may have a friend who has a tree in their yard. Your best bet may be to buy a tree and grow it in a large planter. In five years, you’ll be eating nuts!

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