Spicy Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peanuts.

I’m a HUGE fan of spicy foods, so it wasn’t surprising that I fell in love with Scorpion Nuts the very moment they came into contact with my taste-buds. I think it was a couple years back when my sister was here (Toronto) on business and she brought back a bottle each for my dad, sister and myself, from Trinidad. Very similar to typical spicy fried  nuts or channa (chick peas) you’d get in plastic bottles in grocery stores or from road-side vendors throughout Trinidad and Tobago, but these were made with Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. Once the hottest pepper in the world (ranked 2nd now).

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1 Trinidad Moruga scorpion (diced)
1 1/2 cups unsalted peanuts (cooked)
2-3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

IMPORTANT! Be sure to wear gloves when handling such HOT peppers and be sure to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. I would also recommend that you turn the fan on over your stove and open the window in your kitchen. if you cannot source Scorpion peppers, you can always use a Scotch Bonnet or Habanero pepper.. or any pepper you can tolerate the heat.

Heat the olive oil on a low in in a wide saucepan, then add the garlic, cilantro and diced Scorpion pepper. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes.

Make sure the heat is low so you don’t burn the garlic.. now go in with the peanuts and toss well.

I used fully cooked (but unsalted) peanuts to make this super-fast. You’re free to use raw nuts, just make sure you cook them for a much longer time.

Cook/toss for about 3-5 minutes, then remove off the heat and sprinkle the salt. Allow to cool then place in an air tight container.. it will last for up to 2 weeks. Serve warm if you can for a more pronounced Scorpion kick!

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