Candlenuts (Kemiri)

Candlenuts, kemiri in Indonesian, are round, chalky, cream-coloured nuts with a high oil content – high enough that they were once threaded onto palm ribs and burned as candles, which is where the name comes from. They are a foundation ingredient in the spice pastes of Indonesia and Malaysia.

Their job is textural as much as anything. Ground into a bumbu alongside shallot, garlic, chilli and lemongrass, they thicken the paste and give finished curries and braises a rounded, faintly creamy body that you notice immediately if they are left out. They appear in rendang, opor ayam, soto, sayur lodeh and countless sambals.

Candlenuts must be cooked. Raw they are mildly toxic and unpleasantly bitter, so they are always toasted or fried as part of the spice paste before the dish comes together. Toasting them lightly in a dry pan first also brings out more flavour.

Raw macadamias are the usual substitute, being similarly waxy and rich, and blanched almonds will do at a pinch though they are drier. Because of the oil content candlenuts go rancid quickly – buy small quantities and keep them in the freezer.