Saffron & lemon toasted almonds & pistachios

During the two weeks of Norouz holidays and the beginning of the Iranian new year with the spring equinox, it’s customary to leave on tables plates of sweets (such as the tiny cookies) and a big bowl of ajil — salty nuts such as pistachios, almonds, cashews, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts — for friends and family who call on you for new year greetings.

It often happens, however, that stretched on a sofa, watching too much holiday TV, you’d find yourself in front of that big bowl of ajil, munching the hours away on salty, sour, scrumptious and irresistible pistachios, almonds and cashews — leaving the bowl half full only with the dried chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.