Video: Recipe Sautéed Ginkgo Nuts

Ava Chin writes:

"The first time I sautéed ginkgos, they were a revelation — deep and nutty-tasting, and the consistency of roasted garlic, the soft kernels transformed from yellow to the color of shiny jade. Except for a slightly bitter aftertaste which can be hidden when added to other foods, I loved them."

Recipe “Urban Forager” Sautéed Ginkgo Nuts:

1 cup ginkgo nuts, shelled

½ teaspoon olive oil for tossing, another ½ teaspoon for sautéing (can substitute peanut or sesame oil)

Salt and pepper to taste

Paper towels

1. Crack open ginkgos with a nutcracker. Kernels should be pale yellowish and partly covered in a papery-thin brownish membrane — to be discarded in the cooking process.

2. Toss in a bowl with first half teaspoon of oil, plus, salt and pepper.

3. Heat up remaining oil in pan on medium-low flame.

4. Add ginkgos and cover with a splatter screen for protection from sizzling oil.

5. Shake often, until kernels turn a shiny, verdant green.

6. Transfer to a platter with paper towels. Wrap sautéed ginkgos in towels, making sure to hold them carefully in an envelope-type-fashion so that none escape to burn tender fingers. Roll the entire bunch gently, so that the thin outer membrane separates from the green kernels.

7. Serve warmed ginkgos in a bowl or on a skewer, Japanese-style, picking out any remaining outer layers.

8. Enjoy!


Read more: "The Local Blog", by students and faculty of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, in collaboration with The New York Times.