I don’t buy them in their shells anymore as I have broken too many hydraulic nut crackers. If you want to experience how hard they are to break so you can get that conquering feeling then I have found that a brick with a hole in it and a hammer has been the best way to go. You can have them become missiles if you aren’t careful, but you will save your hands and time.
Now, with eating nuts we should all be careful, though macadamias are one of the nuts that far fewer people react to. So if you start having an itchy mouth, throat, stomach pains, diarrhoea, then please stop eating them, and if your condition worsens seek medical advice.
Macadamias contain healthy fats and no dietary cholesterol. In fact they can be used to help control the bad cholesterol and reduce it in your system. If you eat them everyday (about 40-90g) they can also help to lower the risk of heart disease. They have potassium which aids your heart. Magnesium helps bone growth. Thiamin (B1) helps convert food into energy, so you do want that. If you are low in iron this is the nut for you. Eat them with anything high in vitamin C and it will help you absorb more iron.
To keep the nuts from going stale they need to be in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge and they should last up to four months. Freeze them and they can last up to six months.
This nut is very versatile. You can roast them, then throw them into a salad for some extra crunch. You can also get it in a paste that is great in a sandwich with salad, and it also comes in an oil. The oil is a great oil to cook with as it has a high smoke point so you can deep fry in it. The oil has a smooth buttery taste.
Here is a quick recipe for Roast Pumpkin and Macadamia Dip.
Take 60g of raw macadamia nuts, 115g of roast pumpkin, 35g of roast potato, 35ml of macadamia oil, and blend it all together in a food processor. Then place in a nice dish, get out the crackers or bread and get dipping. Yum oh!
