Roasted chestnuts are a rare dish today. In Russia, only residents of the Krasnodar Territory regularly cook it, since it is in this region that edible fruits grow. How to fry chestnuts, and which of them are suitable for cooking, we will consider in our article.

What kind of chestnut can I roast

The most common chestnut is horse. A tree with such fruits can be found in various Russian regions. But these chestnuts are completely unsuitable for food. Moreover - they are forbidden to eat. It is better to use them for making various crafts with children or for decorating the interior.

For cooking and eating, the fruits of the following varieties of trees are suitable:

  • sowing chestnut;
  • Chinese;
  • Japanese.

They will be able to meet only in regions with a warm climate and high humidity. In Russia, this is the Krasnodar Territory. Also, such cultures grow in Azerbaijan, in the south of Ukraine, in Armenia, Spain, Italy, France. Such nuts are poorly stored and have a minimum shelf life, so they rarely end up in stores in those regions in which they do not grow. Unless, freshly frozen and pickled.

But fresh edible chestnuts are best suited for frying.

The benefits and harms of roasted chestnuts

The unique composition of edible chestnuts makes them very useful for the human body, and low calorie content (unlike other nuts) also allows you to add the product to the diet. Chestnuts are also ideal for vegetarian menus. The high content of vegetable protein in the composition allows them to some extent replace meat in the human diet.

Roasted chestnuts have the following beneficial effects on the body:

  • improve the condition of blood vessels (it is especially useful to eat such nuts for varicose veins);
  • reduce and normalize the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood;
  • normalize the work of the nervous system;
  • heals and strengthens bone tissue, after injuries contribute to its natural recovery;
  • strengthen immunity;
  • normalize the work of the digestive tract;
  • increase stamina.

But we must not forget that there is a very thin line between the benefits and harms of the product under discussion. Therefore, you can not abuse such a fried treat. For example, very large portions of a dish can negatively affect the figure. Some losing weight, having learned that this type of nuts is one of the most low-calorie nuts, begin to eat them in huge quantities. In this case, any diet will be in vain.

Roasted chestnuts are forbidden for use by people with severe pathologies of the heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract and blood diseases.

With special care, you need to enter them in the diet of women in an "interesting" position, nursing mothers and young children.

Chemical composition and calorie content

As noted above, the calorie content of such nuts in a roasted form was small. It is only 247.3 kcal per 100 g of the finished product. Carbohydrates prevail in its composition - more than 50 g per 100 g of product.

Of the micronutrients, the treats under discussion contain a large amount of potassium and iron, as well as calcium, phosphorus, many B vitamins (including folic acid), vitamins C, E, K, PP, A, beta-carotene.

Separately, it is worth noting fatty and amino acids. Among the former: omega-3 and omega-6, among the latter: leucine, lysine, arginine, valine and others.

What do roasted chestnuts taste like

Properly selected and cooked roasted chestnuts taste good. They resemble cooked nuts in the same way (most of all, peanuts) or seeds. The taste of the dish may vary slightly depending on the variety of chestnuts and the method of preparation.

Some gourmets say that charcoal-cooked fruits resemble fried potatoes with a sweet aftertaste.

How to roast chestnuts in a pan

Ingredients:

  • chestnut nuts - 1 kilo;
  • any vegetable oil - ½ liter.

Cooking:

  1. Before frying chestnuts in a pan, the container should be almost completely filled with high-quality refined vegetable oil.
  2. When the fat warms up well, you can lower the fruits into it. It is very important to pre-cut each slightly or simply pierce with a fork.
  3. Cover the parts of the chestnuts emerging from the oil with paper towels and periodically moisten them in fat so that the fruits do not dry out.
  4. Cover the container. Cook the contents of the pan for half an hour on fire a little less than average. Shake nuts periodically without removing cover.

Serve the finished treat sprinkled with salt or granulated sugar.

Microwave roasted chestnuts

To implement such a simple and quick way to prepare chestnuts, they also need to be incised to make a hole for steam to appear.

Ingredients:

  • chestnuts - 1 kg;
  • hot water - 5 tbsp. l .;
  • salt to taste.

Cooking:

  1. Fold the prepared fruits in a wide dish with low sides, which is suitable for a microwave.
  2. Pour hot water from above. Salt fruit to taste.
  3. Close the container with a lid. A glass plate is not suitable for this purpose! If a suitable cover was not at hand, you can take the film.
  4. Cook for 8 minutes at maximum capacity.

Next, you should try one nut and, if necessary, return the fruits to the microwave for another couple of minutes. Or immediately bring them to the table with your favorite sauce.

Cooking in the oven

This method of preparing chestnuts allows you to make the treat less caloric than when frying in a large amount of oil. And the fruits in the process are perfectly baked.

Ingredients:

  • chestnuts - 1 - 2 kg.

Cooking:

  1. Preheat the oven in advance to 180 - 190 degrees.
  2. On each chestnut, make an incision or pierce the fruits with a fork so that they do not explode during baking.
  3. Put the blanks on a baking sheet in one layer. Don’t cover anything!
  4. Send chestnuts in this form to the oven for 35 - 40 minutes.
  5. Serve the finished treat to the table.

The peeled chestnuts cooked in the oven can be made the basis of the salad. An ideal dressing for an appetizer with them would be olive oil with freshly squeezed citrus juice and spices.

Charcoal grilled chestnuts

It is very convenient to cook chestnuts in nature. For example, on coals. But for this method of cooking, you will need to arm yourself with a frying pan with a perforated bottom.

Ingredients:

  • raw chestnuts - 1 serving.

Cooking:

  1. Properly roast chestnuts according to this recipe should be on pre-prepared charcoals. A special frying pan with a perforated bottom is installed on top of them.
  2. Chestnuts pour into the container. Be sure to lay them all in one layer, otherwise the fruits will remain moist for a very long time. In advance, their skin must be cut with a sharp knife to a white layer.
  3. Fry chestnuts without oil in a leaky pan for 15 - 17 minutes. In the process, constantly shake the container so that the fruits do not burn.

Heat should not come close to chestnuts. The heat of the coals prepares them, not the open flame.

Regardless of which method of roasting chestnuts is chosen, the dish will be really tasty only immediately after cooking. When the delicacy cools down or lies completely cool for several hours, its palatability will deteriorate significantly. Therefore, it is worth trying refreshments only in freshly prepared form.

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