Diwali is a few weeks away, and the dry fruit boxes will start arriving soon, from relatives, neighbours, the office and that one uncle who always sends two. By the second week of November, most homes have more almonds and raisins than anyone can finish. Hold some back for this trail mix. Toast the nuts, add a few seeds and a handful of dried fruit, and you have a snack for the office drawer. It takes about fifteen minutes.
By the time Diwali is over, most homes are sitting on far more dry fruits than they can get through. Boxes turn up from relatives, neighbours and the office, and a good part of it ends up in the back of a cupboard, forgotten until it tastes stale. Trail mix is an easy way to put it all to use. Almost any mix of nuts and dried fruit works, and the only thing you might need to pick up is a packet of seeds.
The toasting takes very little time. Tip the nuts into a dry pan on low heat and keep stirring for about four or five minutes. The smell of toasted nuts shows up well before the colour changes, and that is the moment to take the pan off the stove, since the nuts keep cooking in the hot pan. Nuts that have been lying around for a while often taste a bit dull, and a short toast wakes most of the flavour back up. If any of them feel soft or chewy, give them a few more minutes, and they will crisp up.
A light coating makes the mix taste more finished. A teaspoon of honey, a pinch of cinnam
Read MoreSort the dry fruits. Keep the nuts and makhana in one bowl, and the raisins, dates and other soft fruit in another.
Heat a dry pan on low heat. Add the almonds and cashews first and toast them for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
Add the walnuts, pistachios and seeds, and toast for another 2 minutes, till they smell nutty.
Tip the nuts onto a plate. In the same pan, roast the makhana for 3-4 minutes till crisp.
Return everything to the pan with the heat switched off. Drizzle in the honey and sprinkle the cinnamon and salt, then toss for a minute.
Spread the mix on a plate and let it cool completely.
Add the raisins, dates, cranberries and chocolate chips, and mix gently.
Pack into an airtight jar or small boxes.
Yes. Almost any mix of nuts and dried fruit works. Just toast the hard nuts and leave the soft fruit as it is.
Not strictly, but a short toast brings back flavour in nuts that have been sitting around, and it makes them crunchier.
About three weeks in an airtight container, kept in a cool, dry spot. Keep out of direct sunlight.
Yes. Leave the honey out and add a pinch of chaat masala or black pepper for a savoury version.
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