Almond

badam

The nut that gives a gravy its silk.

What it is

Almonds do two jobs in the region's richer cooking: blanched and ground to a paste they thicken and enrich a gravy with a silky body; slivered or flaked they garnish sweets and festive rice. It is the nut of Mughal luxury.

Where it comes from

Grown in the cooler north and imported besides, almonds belong to the wealthy, nut-enriched end of northern cooking — the kormas and the celebration sweets — where ground nuts replace or join cream as a thickener.

What it's called

Almond · badam (Hindi). Blanched (skinned) almonds are used for pale, smooth pastes.

In the kitchen

Blanched and ground into a paste, almonds thicken and enrich kormas and white gravies; soaked and ground they go into sweets and cooling drinks; slivered, they crown biryani, sweets and milk puddings. The paste is the quiet secret behind a silky Mughal sauce.

What we know about the claims

Almonds bring good fats, protein and vitamin E — a wholesome nut. Used as enrichment in small amounts; the only note is the general one for nut allergies.

Choosing and buying

Everywhere. Blanched (skinned) almonds for smooth pale pastes; whole or flaked for garnish. Ground almonds are a convenient shortcut for a paste.