Medicinal beans roasted with palm sugar

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 200 g medicinal beans (kacang kapri), see note
• 160 g coconut palm sugar
• 2 pinches of salt
• 4 tbsp coconut water, Asian shop, drinks
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 pinches of cardamom powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

A large peanut variety that becomes a delicacy with cinnamon and palm sugar. Recipe from Lombok, Indonesia

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If the sugar is in blocks, finely grate it. Heat the sugar, coconut water, and salt in a 28cm pan. As soon as it’s liquid, add the beans and heat them in the sugar water. Stir-fry to prevent burning. Once the water has evaporated, the palm sugar will become crumbly. Reduce the heat and continue stirring until the sugar begins to melt. Reduce the heat further, add the cinnamon and cardamom, and stir vigorously until all the beans are coated in glossy sugar. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet, spreading it out as much as possible. Separate the beans with two forks and let cool. Transfer any glazed beans that won’t be eaten immediately to airtight containers, as the sugar is very hygroscopic and the nuts quickly become sticky. Fill the pan with warm water, and after 15 minutes, it can be easily cleaned. Note: Medicinal beans (dolichos biflorus), like peanuts (arachis hypogaea), are beans with a high fat content. They are about twice the size of average peanuts. They taste the same as peanuts, but in direct comparison, their flavor is less overpowering. They are slightly softer and more floury to the bite. Besides their different size and slightly more subtle flavor, medicinal beans contain fewer allergens. Flavorful coconut sugar is an ideal partner for medicinal beans. Cinnamon and cardamom are not absolutely necessary and should be used sparingly.