Black pepper is native to India. Long before India had red chilies to make foods hot, it relied on black pepper. This recipe harks back to a period that is still part of India’s present.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 cup and serves 6¿8 with drinks

　　1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) whole blanched almonds

　　1 teaspoon olive or canola oil

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

　　Freshly ground black pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Line a small baking tray with foil and spread the almonds out in a single layer. Dribble the oil over them and toss them well so the oil clings to them like a film. Sprinkle the salt, cumin, and black pepper over them and toss thoroughly again to mix. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, tossing and mixing every 4–5 minutes. Leave to cool off and firm up before serving.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.