Glazed Togarashi Pecans
“There is no way that you can eat just one of these crunchy & spicy nuts. The seven ingredients in shichimi togarashi have been magically combined to arouse your appetite, and they certainly work their sorcery here. Although I don’t have salt in this recipe, you can add a generous sprinkle if you wish. One important tip: do not drain the warm glazed nuts on paper towels, or they will stick. Be sure and wait until they are cooled, and then spread them on to paper towels to remove any excess oil. The cocktail in the photo is a Pisco Sour, which they pair perfectly with. ¡Buen Provecho!”
-Chef Richard Sandoval
Glazed Togarashi Pecans
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
4 cups (450 g) pecan halves
¾ cup (90 g) confectioners’ sugar
Canola oil, for deep-frying
One .63-ounce (18-g) jar shichimi Togarashi
DIRECTIONS
Bring the sugar and 2. cups (600 ml) water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, stirring often to be sure that the sugar dissolves. Boil for 1 minute. Add the pecans and return them to a boil. Cook until the pecans soften, about 2 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.
2. Toss the pecans in the colander, sprinkling them with the confectioners’ sugar until they are coated. Spread the pecans on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them dry for at least 2 hours.
3. Pour in enough oil to come one-third up the sides of a large saucepan and heat it over high heat until the oil reaches 350oF (175oC) on a deep-frying thermometer. Line another large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Deep-fry half of the pecans until they turn a shade darker, about 1 minute. (You may want to do a test run with couple of pecans to get the timing right. They should develop a thin glaze, and color lightly, but not burn.) Using a wire spider or slotted spoon, transfer the nuts, letting as much oil as possible drain back into the saucepan, to the parchment paper to drain. Let the oil return to 350oF (175oC) and repeat with the remaining pecans. Let the pecans drain for about 2 minutes; they should be warm and slightly sticky.
5. Transfer the pecans to the unlined baking sheet. Stir the pecans and sprinkle them with the togarashi to coat. Let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.