Quick Bite: Chinese-Style Peanuts at Chang's

Let's talk some more about legumes, shall we? You may remember my adventure with making my own boiled peanuts. You may also remember that in researching that post, I discovered that boiled peanuts are popular in countries other than the United States. I was intrigued by descriptions I read about peanuts flavored with star anise and ginger, for example.

And then the other day I walked into Chang's Oriental Mart to buy rice. What did I see on the counter but this!A large bowl filled with boiled peanuts. I couldn't believe my eyes. The owners kindly offered to let me taste some, and I was in heaven. Subtly flavored with star anise, fresh ginger, a bit of soy sauce, and a bit of salt, the peanuts were sublime.

They were rather crunchy, too, more so than I thought I liked them, and yet—I liked them. Paul Chang told this reporter that he boils them for only about an hour and a half (you may remember that I boiled the ones I got from the Lee Bros. for, oh, a million hours). The peanuts the Changs are using are not old and dried out like the ones I cooked back in May; I had let those sit in my basement all winter.And speaking of making your own, you can buy a 2-pound bag of raw peanuts at Chang's if you prefer to go that route. At $2.99 for 2 pounds, it's definitely the bargain way to go. And, of course, the store also carries everything you'll need to flavor the peanuts Chang-style: star anise, ginger, and soy sauce. Though any good soy sauce will do, Paul recommends using Kimlan brand for its superior flavor when making the peanuts. In fact, he shared the recipe. You can see the package of star anise pods and the bottle of soy sauce here.Chang's Boiled Peanuts
From Paul Chang of Chang's Oriental Mart in Royal Plaza, Champaign

1 2-pound bag raw peanuts in the shell
Handful of star anise pods
Soy sauce (no exact amount; you're using it basically to give the peanuts a nice color and a little flavor, so don't overdo it)
Several slices of fresh ginger
Salt

Place all ingredients in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until softened to your liking.These are peanuts I brought home from Chang's. You can see a slice of ginger and a piece of star anise lurking in the bowl. I liked these peanuts much better than the ones I made last May. I had seriously over-salted mine, for one thing. These were light on the salt, and the other flavors, as I noted above, were subtle. Just enough to keep you wanting one more. And one more after that. And so on.

Peanuts are high in fiber and protein, and the fat in them is mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. They're also filled with vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, star anise and ginger both have medicinal properties, aiding digestion and helping to ward off viruses. So not only are these Chinese peanuts delicious, they may lower your cholesterol and help keep you safe from the 'flu!

The peanuts that the Changs sell are coming from Georgia, and they won't be available all year long. This is prime peanut harvesting time down south (in fact, I read that the peanut crop is being harvested late this year; thus, raw peanuts may be around later into the fall than normal), so take advantage of the availability of raw peanuts while you can. Boil your own, or just pop into the store and pick yourself up a bag or two of the ready-to-eat variety ($1.99/pound). I have it on good authority that there will be boiled peanuts at the store today!

Many thanks to the Changs for sharing their recipe and for making delicious, Chinese-style peanuts available to all of us in Champaign-Urbana.

Update: I made Chinese-style peanuts again, in the Crock-Pot. You'll find more info on how to do it in this later post. ~Lisa

Chang's Oriental Mart
505 South Neil Street (in Royal Plaza)
Champaign, IL
217-356-9288
Open 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 on Sunday