Soaked Almonds: How Long to Soak Them, and Whether to Peel
Soaking almonds overnight is one of the oldest habits in Indian kitchens. How to do it properly, how many to eat, and what changes when you peel the skin.
NutsAndCrafts
14 October 20263 min read
In a lot of Indian homes, someone puts a handful of almonds in a small bowl of water every night, and someone else eats them first thing in the morning. It's one of those habits that gets passed down without much explanation. Here is the practical side of it.
Why people soak almonds
A raw almond is hard and dry. Soaking softens it, makes it easier to chew, and gives it a milder, slightly creamy taste. The brown skin loosens too, so it slips off easily if you want to remove it. Many people simply find soaked almonds easier on the stomach than raw ones.
That's the honest case for it. It's a different way of eating the same nut, and plenty of people prefer it.
How to soak them
- Rinse the almonds in a sieve under running water to wash off dust.
- Cover them with plenty of water. They swell, so use at least twice as much water as almonds.
- Leave them for eight to twelve hours. Overnight on the counter is fine in cool weather. In summer, or if your kitchen is warm, soak them in the fridge so they don't start to ferment.
- Drain and rinse in the morning. Throw away the soaking water. It will be slightly brown and bitter.
If you forgot to soak them the night before, pour hot water over them and leave them for half an hour. They won't be as soft, but the skins will come off.
Peel or not?
Both are fine. It depends on what you like.
With skin | Peeled | |
|---|---|---|
Taste | Slightly bitter, earthier | Sweeter, milder |
Texture | A little chewy | Soft and creamy |
Fibre | A bit more | A bit less |
Best for | Eating as they are, if you like the taste | Children, kesar doodh, badam milk, sweets |
To peel, pinch the soaked almond between your thumb and finger. The skin should slide off in one piece.
How many?
Most people eat somewhere between five and ten a day. Almonds are full of good fats, but they are also high in calories, so a small handful is plenty. If you're thinking of eating them for a particular health reason, that's a conversation for your doctor rather than a blog.
Do soaked almonds keep?
Once soaked, almonds should be eaten within a day or two. Keep any extras in a closed box in the fridge, in fresh water that you change daily, and use them soon. They go soft and slightly sour if left too long.
Mamra almonds soak differently
Mamra almonds, the smaller, curved, wrinkled ones, have more natural oil than most almonds. When you soak them, they swell a little less and stay a bit firmer, with a richer, sweeter taste. Many families save them for soaking for that reason.
Ordinary almonds work perfectly well too. Our [Kashmiri almonds](/products/kashmiri-almonds) and [Mamra almonds](/products/almonds-mamra) both soak nicely, and we wrote a separate piece on [how Mamra compares with California almonds](/blog/mamra-vs-california-almonds) if you're deciding between them. Soaked and peeled, either one is also exactly what goes into a good glass of [kesar doodh](/blog/kesar-doodh-recipe).