Badam (almonds)

Badam (பாதம்) is Tamil for almonds – also written padham or batham in transliteration. Almonds are not native to South India, but they are thoroughly at home in it: badam halwa, badam milk and the garnish on a festival payasam are all standard Tamil kitchen work.

Where ours comes from

Our almonds are sourced for the Nilgiris range and packed here. Look for kernels that are plump, unbroken and uniform in colour; a shrivelled or rubbery almond has usually been stored warm.

How it is used in South Indian cooking

• In badam halwa – blanched, ground and cooked with ghee and sugar. The classic festival sweet.
• In badam milk – ground with a little milk, sweetened and served warm or cold.
• In payasam – slivered and fried in ghee as a garnish.
• In biryani and kurma – a handful of whole nuts for texture.
• Soaked overnight – the everyday South Indian habit: four or five almonds with the skin slipped off, eaten first thing.

Storing it

Almonds are high in oil and go rancid in heat. An airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard holds them for six months; in the fridge, a year.

Buying and cooking

See pack sizes and prices, and the recipe for Badam halwa.