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Nut Milks and Nut Butters
Appears in
Published 1991
When nuts or seeds (ideally toasted) are ground, soaked in hot water, and the liquid strained, the result is nut or seed milk such as almond milk. These milks are useful in sauce making (especially for Indian sauces), but usually require a hydrocolloid or emulsifier to keep them from breaking apart when heated.
Nut or seed butters are made by grinding the nuts or seeds to a smooth paste. Lacking a suribachi (see Mortar and Pestle), a coffee grinder is best for this. Nut butters are whisked into sauces as thickeners and flavorings, but in most cases must be stabilized with thickeners such as starch or hydrocolloids.