
Cedar nuts are the seeds of a pine tree that grows in Siberia. They are often used in folk medicine and cosmetology to treat many diseases. However, peeling pine nuts at home is quite difficult. This will require removing the tight-fitting husks from a large number of small seeds. Of course, you can remove the shells from 2-3 nuts with your teeth, but when it comes to a lot of kernels, this method is not suitable, since you can easily damage the enamel.
Soaking in cold water
If you soak pine seeds in cold water for at least eight hours, their husks will become soft and easy to remove, like the husks of seeds. In this case, the taste of the cedar seeds will remain the same, so you can safely leave them in the water, even for a whole night. The next day the water should be drained and the seeds should be dried on a paper towel. The kernels should be left to dry for 15-20 minutes. After that you can easily peel them, even with your teeth.
Soaking in boiling water
If pine nuts need to be cleaned in a short time, without waiting until the husks have had time to soak in cold water, you can use this method. Pour boiling water over the cedar seeds and leave them to infuse for a few minutes.
This method has a significant disadvantage - in contact with hot water, cedar seeds lose some of their useful micro- and macronutrients. However, the main advantage of this method is to save time.
After the grains have been infused in hot water, they should be thrown on a colander. Next, the seeds are dried on a paper towel, as in the first method.
Using scissors and a toothpick
If you do not want to pour hot or cold water over the pine nuts, there is another method - the use of scissors.
The method consists of several steps:
- In one hand you need to take the kernel, and in the other scissors. You can use ordinary kitchen scissors;
- Then it is necessary to place the core between the blades of the scissors, turning it with its wide side towards yourself;
- Gently crack the shell and extract the nut. If the nut is difficult to extract, you can pick it up with an ordinary toothpick.
Do not rush and throw away the husks of pine nuts - it is another useful product that can be used to maintain health. Cedar shells contain almost the same set of useful micro- and macronutrients as the inner seeds.
Garlic Grinder
If you have a regular garlic peeler, you can also use it to peel pine nuts. This is an easy and quick method that does not require any special skills.
Place the pine nuts in the garlic presser and gently press until you hear a clicking sound. You don't need to press the kernels too hard, as you could ruin them. How fast the seeds are peeled in this way depends on the size of the garlic press.
Pliers
Another tool you can use to peel pine nuts is a pair of pliers. It is as easy to operate as a garlic press and scissors. Thanks to its embossed surface, the kernels split quickly and without slipping. It is enough to put a nut in the device and gently press.
Cedar Nut Peeler
If you plan to peel a large number of kernels at a time, you can immediately buy a special machine called a "nutcracker". In its appearance, it resembles a kitchen meat grinder.
However, this method has a disadvantage - the machine is not able to clean all the kernels at the first time. To do this, you must constantly sift them through a sieve and separate the peeled nuts from the uncut. After that, the kernels are placed in the "nutcracker" for repeated processing.
The rolling pin
There is another easy and quick way to clean the cedar seeds - to use an ordinary rolling pin. To do this, put them in a plastic bag or wrap them in a towel, and from the top press lightly with a rolling pin. This method is more suitable for kernels soaked in water, as it will be more difficult to clean fresh nuts with a rolling pin.