This method will work with just about any soft nut, such as cashews or walnuts. Harder nuts, like almonds, require 8 to 24 hours soaking time. You may want to rub off peels from walnuts and almonds after soaking and before blending. Leaving them in does not harm anything – peels add fiber and color.

Ingredients

2 cups dry Malabar chestnuts, shelled

4 cups water, divided

Directions

Soak nuts in 2 cups water for at least 4 hours, or up to 8.

Drain and discard soaking water.

Place nuts in a blender. Add another 2 cups of water and liquefy for 2 minutes.

Drain through cheesecloth, reserving the solids.

The liquid is nut milk.

The solids can be used as a coarse meal for baking. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and dry them at the lowest heat in your oven, or use a dehydrator. Once dry, process again in the blender for a finer texture.

To make a sweet filling or topping, add cinnamon, clove, honey and a little lemon juice to taste. Try it on top of breakfast porridge, or as a filling for pastry.

For a meat substitute, add some cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. This mixture is also good for topping salads.