Badoom Limoo Torsh – Persian Style Almonds Candied in Lime Juice
Something beautiful happened last month. A few Persian bloggers started emailing and in two shakes of a lambs tail, it turned into this amazing group of 25 of the world’s Persian food bloggers celebrating Mehregan with this cyber-feast!
So what is Mehregan? It is the Zoroastrian Festival of Autumn, celebrating friendship, affection and love by means of a large feast. Yes, our currency of love is food! This beautiful ancient Persian tradition has been obscured over the generations, so I was thrilled for not only the chance to learn about our heritage, but to celebrate and elevate it! I highly encourage you to visit all the #Mehregan2014 recipes from a collection of the nicest, most talented and fun group of Persian food bloggers out there! For the list of bloggers participating, see the end of this post.
Badoom Limoo Torsh – Persian Style Almonds Candied in Lime Juice
Typically celebrated on the 196th day of the year, with Day 1 being March 21 (Norouz), Mehregan usually falls on or around October 2nd. From the scant amount of information about Mehregan, it seems like there is also a haft-seen like table set out with fall-related symbolic objects such as pomegranates, apples and marjoram.
Badoom Limoo Torsh – Persian style Tangy Almonds Candied in Lime Juice
So why did I choose these tangy, tart, torsh (as we say in Farsi) almonds? Well, for one they are addictively delicious – and everybody knows that Iranians are addicted to anything tart, tangy and sour. Second, I always associate nuts with colder weather (ajeel anyone?!) and these sour protein-packed nuts are either impossible to find or prohibitively expensive. Plus, I found the homemade variety to be even more crazy delicious than the store bought – the hint of sweetness from the honey is the perfect counterbalance to the tang of the lime juice. My recipe is adapted from this one by the lovely Azita of Turmeric & Saffron.
Badoom Limoo Torsh – Persian Style Tangy Almonds Candied in Lime Juice
So whip up a big batch of what I affectionately refer to as ‘Lalmonds‘ (lime-y or lemon-y almonds) and try to ration these babies out! Oh and don’t forget the napkins, since they’re covered in gooey deliciousness. 🙂
- 1½ cups raw almonds
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- ⅓ cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup water
- Have a saute pan and small sauce pan on the stove and a colander at hand.
- Combine the sugar, ½ tablespoon salt, honey and water in the small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Stir over the heat until the solids dissolve and the mixture thickens - about 8-10 minutes.
- Toss the almonds in the mixture to coat.
- With a potholder, strain the sauce into the saucepan and let the almonds sit in the colander over the saucepan to catch excess drippings.
- Add the lime juice to the sauce and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until reduced.
- Add in the almonds and cook, continuously stirring for another 5 minutes until the sauce has caramelized.
- Spread your almonds (they're hot!) over a sheet of wax paper, doing your best to separate them out.
- Sprinkle with remaining salt and let cool. Enjoy!
Mehregan 2014: The full list of bloggers participating in the online celebration of this ancient Persian and Zoroastrian tradition!
Ahu Eats: Badoom Sookhte Torsh | Sour Caramelized Almonds
All Kinds of Yum: Jeweled Carrot Salad
Bottom of the Pot: Broccoli Koo Koo (Frittata)
Cafe Leilee: Northern Iranian Pomegranate Garlic and Chicken Stew
Coco in the Kitchen: Zeytoon Parvardeh |Marinated Olives with Pomegranate & Walnuts
Della Cucina Povera: Ghormeh Sabzi | Persian Lamb & Herb Stew
Fae’s Twist & Tango: Rice Meatballs | Kufteh Berenji
Family Spice: Khoreshteh Kadoo | Butternut Squash Stew
Fig & Quince: Festive Persian Noodle Rice & Roasted Chicken Stuffed with Yummies for Mehregan
Honest and Tasty: Loobia Polo | Beef and Green Bean Rice
Lab Noon: Adas Polo Risotto | Persian Lentils Risotto
Lucid Food: Sambuseh
Marjan Kamali: Persian Ice Cream with Rosewater and Saffron
My Caldron: Anaar-Daneh Mosamma | Pomegranate Stew
My Persian Kitchen: Keshmesh Polow | Persian Raisin Rice
Noghlemey: Parsi Dal
Parisa’s Kitchen: Morasa Polow | Jeweled Rice
PersianSpice: Fall in Love with Autumn
Sabzi: Ash-e-Mast (Yogurt Soup with Meatballs)
The Saffron Tales: Jashn-e Mehrgan – Iranian Autumn Harvest Festival
Simi’s Kitchen: Lita Turshisi | Torshi-e Liteh | Tangy aubergine pickle
Spice Spoon: Khoresht-e-bademjaan | Aubergine Stew
Turmeric & Saffron: Ash-a Haft Daneh | Seven Bean Soup
The Unmanly Chef: Baghali Polow ba Mahicheh | Rice with Fave Beans and Lamb
ZoZoBaking: Masghati | Persian Scented Starch Fudge
This sounds amazing. I love regular badoom sookhteh, but the torsh variety sounds seriously addictive.
Love it …I’m one of those Persians who loves tart and tangy treats and this one is just perfect 🙂 xoxo
Gosh..those candied almonds won’t stay long in our house..well, they are usually gone in a couple of hours… I will save this for X’mas!
Oh my! My husband and kids love sour things (my Persian side likes sweet moraba) so I must make this for them!
Ahu jan this looks so delicious and different! Thanks!
What a fun holiday to celebrate!! Anything that has food as a currency I’m in love with. These almonds are indeed fall perfect. I love the tangy twist to them.
I love anything torsh. Thank you so much for this recipe. I might try making it for a dinner party I’m having on Friday.
Those sound absolutely fantastic!
Oh Ahu, you speak the truth. And so I’m definitely Persian, if only because I adore all things torsh and tangy. Anar, lavashak, gojeh, albaloo, and limoo. This is only the BEST way to season an almond. Gorgeous shots btw.
Yes! I feel we we have a special appreciation for all things torsh. By the way, am I the only one who feels like the word ‘sour’ or ‘tangy’ is not the right translation for torsh? Anybody?!
Merci Bita joon 🙂
What a gorgeous mix of sweet & sour.
I’m afraid to make these, because I probably won’t be able to stop
eating them!!
oh what a lovely recipe. These Lalmonds looks so delicious. 🙂
I’ve never heard of these. What an excellent Persian-style snack! Look out, you may see them on the menu at Lakh Lakh 🙂 Happy Mehregan Ahu.
Ahu jan, would love a handful of these torsh badoom sookhteh! Beautiful pics!
Ahu joon I love your post! Actually I have a big pack of almonds left from my cooking which I was gonna make sohan asali with 😀 Now , I’m gonna use your recipe to make Badoom Torsh as I’ve never tried it before! Thanks for sharing xx
Awesome Parisa joon! I hope you like it! 🙂
Dear Ahu, what a perfect snack. We are serious almond eaters around here and tangy almonds makes it even more perfect. Can’t wait to share these with my family!
Just made these! They’re cooling…but couldn’t help but grab a couple that weren’t fully cooled…AMAZING. Thank you! 🙂
I’m so glad!!! Enjoy! 😀
This looks so delish!!! I love love love anything sour, so this is right up my alley!! xoox
These would be very dangerous to have sitting on the table. They would go very, very fast!
It sounds like such a nice tradition!!! Never heard of it before though.
It is very easy to make and very tasty. Thanks
Aside from learning a little something about this holiday, I’m pleased to discover this tasty sweet and sour combination in a nut. GREG
These do, indeed, sound like something we would love! I think they would be lovely with cocktails!
PS – my vanilla is getting nice and dark after only 1 week!
Isn’t the color change exciting?! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out! Should be ready for your holiday baking time!
Ahu joon, this looks so amazing and delicious. I will definitely have to give it a try. Beautiful pictures 🙂
These look wonderful, Ahu – can’t wait to try them. Your photographs are beautiful too!
Thanks so much Elizabeth!
They look perfect for a rainy day you only want to be home spoiling yourself! 🙂
Ahu, it’s always wonderful to come to this site and learn more about Persian cuisine and culture. Love the candied almonds with lime recipe!
Dahanam ob oftad Ahu jan.
Merci for this as I am a bit of a nutter (I’m not sure I’m coming across v well?) anyway, I love all things nutty and this is one I’ll be trying.
BTW, love saying your name Ahu – it’s got a great tune and evokes a picture of a doe. If I did yoga, I’d probably chant Ahu instead of Om.
I laughed at ‘nutter’! Isn’t being a bit nutty a good thing?!
And merci 🙂 I have my parents to thank for the name!
Ahu joon, I think as food bloggers nothing pleases us more than readers wanting to make our recipe and so I want to let you know that I’ve bookmarked your recipe because I love this recipe and you have really inspired me to want to make it. Beautiful and seamless post. Love it!
That is very sweet (or should I say … torsh?! ) of you to say. It is the highest compliment – so, thanks!!! 😀
Oh Ahu-jan, what a color and what a shine. The picture speaks thousand words and how tasty these almonds must be. Sweet’n’sour sounds good.
Belated Happy Mehregan! 🙂