Korean Roasted Chestnuts
Wipe the soaked chestnuts dry, then score an X on the rounded side of each one almost to the inner skin, since a shallow cut will not open and a very deep one can split the flesh. Coat with 1 tsp cooking oil and roast cut side up in one layer at 210°C for 20 to 25 minutes, until the X opens into a V shape and the shells turn brown. Wrap the hot chestnuts in a dry cloth for 5 minutes to loosen the inner skin.
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
When the X cut in each chestnut shell curls open into a V in the oven, they are done.
Read more
The cut goes just short of the inner skin: too shallow and the shell will not peel, too deep and the nut splits. Wrapped in a dry towel for about five minutes after roasting, the inner skin loosens and comes away easily.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Soak 500 g raw chestnuts in 600 ml water mixed with 1 tablespoon salt for 20 minutes.
Skim off any floating debris, then rub the shells under running water until the surface feels clean.
- 2
Drain the chestnuts in a strainer and dry them with a clean cloth.
Do this before scoring because wet shells slip easily, making the X cut uneven and harder to control.
- 3
Place each chestnut rounded side up and score an X almost to the inner skin.
If the cut is too shallow the shell will not open, while a very deep cut can split the flesh.
- 4
Toss the scored chestnuts with 1 teaspoon cooking oil until lightly coated.
Preheat the oven fully to 210°C, then spread the chestnuts in one layer on a pan with the cuts facing up.
- 5
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the X opens into a V shape and the shells turn brown.
Start checking smaller chestnuts at 20 minutes so they do not dry out before the larger ones finish.
- 6
Wrap the hot chestnuts in a dry cloth for 5 minutes so residual steam loosens the inner skin.
While still warm, toss with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon sugar, then serve before the texture firms.
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Korean Sweet Corn Latte (Butter Sauteed Corn Milk Drink)
butter
Churros
butter
Black Sesame Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame Paste Filling)
butter