Ben Carter
Candlenuts, also known as kemiri, are native to the tropics of Indonesia and have been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, and beauty rituals. The name 'candlenut' refers to the nut's high fat content, which allows it to be lit on fire and used as a candle. Candlenuts are used in many Asian dishes, especially in Malaysian and Indonesian cooking, where they are commonly used to thicken curries and stews. They are also added to chilli pastes to make them thicker and creamier. In Hawaii, candlenuts are called kukui nuts and are an ingredient in poke, a raw fish salad.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Aleurites moluccanus |
| Common names | candleberry, Indian walnut, kemiri, varnish tree, nuez de la India, buah keras, godou, kukui nut tree, rata kekuna |
| Origin | Indonesia |
| Height | 15-25 metres or 30 metres |
| Leaf colour | Pale green |
| Leaf shape | Ovate or heart-shaped |
| Nut colour | Whiteish yellow |
| Nut texture | Waxy and fleshy |
| Nut shape | Round |
| Nut diameter | 4-6 centimetres |
| Nut shell | Hard and furrowed |
| Number of seeds per fruit | 1-2 |
| Oil | High content |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic when raw |
| Use in cuisine | Thickening agent, seasoning |
| Use in cosmetics | Moisturiser |
| Use in traditional medicine | Laxative |
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What You'll Learn
- Candle nuts are mildly toxic when raw but can be used in many dishes when cooked
- They are native to Indonesia and have been used in cooking, traditional medicine and beauty rituals
- The nuts are called 'kukui' in Hawaii, where they are a key ingredient in the traditional dish poke
- Candle nuts are also used to make candles, as their name suggests
- They are a relative of the macadamia nut and can be substituted for it in recipes
Candle nuts are mildly toxic when raw but can be used in many dishes when cooked
The candlenut, or Aleurites moluccanus, is a flowering tree that can grow up to 15-25 metres in height. It is native to the tropics of Indonesia and has been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, and beauty rituals. It is also known as candleberry, Indian walnut, kemiri, varnish tree, nuez de la India, buah keras, godou, kukui nut tree, and rata kekuna.
Candlenuts are toxic in their raw form and can cause a laxative effect and vomiting if consumed in large quantities. This is due to the presence of saponin, phorbol, and toxalbumins in the seeds. However, heat treatment reduces the toxicity of the protein component, making it safe for consumption. Cooking or roasting neutralises the toxins and enhances the flavour, making the nuts more flavorful, similar to how many spices become more pungent after roasting.
Candlenuts are commonly used in Southeast Asian and Polynesian cuisine, particularly in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking. They are often added to curries, stews, and chilli pastes to make them thicker and creamier. In Indonesia, candlenuts are considered a kitchen staple and are used to make sambal bajak, a relish made with chillies, kapitan (a Malaysian Indian-influenced curry), and inamona, a Hawaiian condiment containing salt and chilli peppers. On the island of Java, candlenuts are used to make a thick sauce that is eaten with vegetables and rice.
In Hawaii, candlenuts are called kukui nuts and are an essential ingredient in poke, a raw fish salad. Roasted kukui nuts are ground into a paste with salt to create a condiment called inamona, which is a key ingredient in traditional Hawaiian poke. The candlenut tree also holds spiritual significance in Hawaii, symbolising enlightenment, protection, and peace.
In addition to their culinary uses, candlenuts have a variety of other applications. The high oil content of candlenuts allows them to be used as a natural candle or torch. The oil extracted from the nut is burned in stone oil lamps or used in paints, varnishes, lacquer, and soft soap. Candlenut oil is also valued in the cosmetic industry for its moisturising properties and is used in skincare, hair care, and aromatherapy products. Furthermore, candlenuts have been used in traditional medicine and tattooing practices in various cultures.
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They are native to Indonesia and have been used in cooking, traditional medicine and beauty rituals
Candlenuts, also known as kemiri, are native to the tropics of Indonesia. They are believed to have first been domesticated in Southeast Asia, with archaeological sites in eastern Indonesia uncovering remains of harvested candlenuts dating back to 11,000 BP. Today, the candlenut tree grows throughout the tropics and can even be found as far south as Australia and New Zealand.
Candlenuts have been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, and beauty rituals. In Indonesian and Malaysian cooking, candlenuts are commonly used in curries and stews as their high oil content makes the gravy thicker. They are also added to chilli pastes to make them thicker and creamier, such as in the Javanese dish of sambal bajak, a relish made with chillies, garlic, shallots, Indonesian bay leaves, galangal, palm sugar, and shrimp paste. Candlenuts are also used to make a thick sauce that is eaten with vegetables and rice on the Indonesian island of Java.
The candlenut tree holds spiritual significance in Hawaii, particularly in Maui, where it is a symbol of enlightenment, protection, and peace. The candlenut tree was considered to be the body form of Kamapua’a, the hog-man fertility demigod. Hawaiians have also used the candlenut tree for leis and jewellery, tattoo ink, varnish, a red-brown dye, and boat-building materials. Candlenuts are an ingredient in the Hawaiian dish poke, a raw fish salad. A Hawaiian condiment known as ʻinamona is made from roasted candlenuts mixed into a paste with salt and is a key ingredient in traditional poke.
The versatility of candlenuts extends to their use in traditional medicine and beauty rituals. Candlenut oil is an excellent natural moisturiser and can hydrate dull, dry skin without leaving a greasy residue. It contains high levels of fatty acids and aminos such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are important for skin and hair health.
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The nuts are called 'kukui' in Hawaii, where they are a key ingredient in the traditional dish poke
The candlenut tree, or Aleurites moluccanus, is a flowering tree that can grow to a height of up to 30 metres (98 feet) with wide-spreading branches and pale green leaves. The candlenut is also known by many other names, including candleberry, Indian walnut, varnish tree, and, in Hawaii, kukui. The kukui nut tree is the official state tree of Hawaii, where it holds cultural and spiritual significance.
The kukui nut is a key ingredient in the traditional Hawaiian dish poke, which consists of raw fish and seaweed. The kukui nut is roasted, pounded, and mixed with salt to create a condiment called inamona, which is used to flavour the poke.
In ancient Hawaii, kukui nuts were burned to provide light. The nuts were strung together on a palm leaf and lit, burning one after the other like a candle, providing a measure of time. The oil from the kukui nut was also burned in stone lamps with a wick made of kapa cloth. The kukui nut was also used to make torches, by filling the end of a bamboo pole with the kernels and setting them alight.
The kukui nut tree was also used by ancient Hawaiians in a multitude of other ways. The oil from the nut was used as a topical dressing for sore muscles, burns, and wounds, and as a hair follicle stimulant. The wood from the tree was used to build canoes, and the bark, flowers, and nuts were used for medicine. The soot from burned nuts was used to create black dye for tattoos, while a red-brown dye could be made from the inner bark. The shells of the nuts were used to make leis, and the oil was used as a varnish. Fishermen would chew the nuts and spit them on the water to remove reflections and improve their underwater visibility.
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Candle nuts are also used to make candles, as their name suggests
Candlenuts, also known as kemiri, are native to Indonesia and have been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, skincare, and even as a source of light. The candlenut tree belongs to the same family as the poinsettia plant. The nuts themselves have a high oil content, which allows them to burn like candles, giving them their name.
Crude candlenut candles were made by threading a palm leaf through the raw nut, which acted as a natural wick. These wicks would then be lit and burned like candles. On the Hawaiian islands, candlenut oil was burned in stone oil lamps to provide light. Candlenuts were also used to light torches, with the Hawaiian people filling the end of a bamboo pole with candlenut kernels and setting them alight.
Candlenut oil has been used for thousands of years in beauty rituals and skincare treatments due to its potent moisturising properties. In Indonesia, the ancient wellness custom of Jamu often included candlenuts in everything from herbal tonics to skincare treatments to promote holistic health. The oil is also used as a hair stimulant or additive to hair treatments.
In addition to their use as a source of light and in skincare, candlenuts are also used in cooking. They are commonly used in Southeast Asian and Polynesian cuisine, particularly in Malaysian, Indonesian, and Singaporean dishes. Candlenuts are typically roasted before being chopped, ground, or pounded and added to dishes as a thickening agent. They are also used to make sambal bajak, an Indonesian relish, and kapitan, a Malaysian Indian-influenced curry. Candlenuts are slightly toxic when raw and should always be roasted or cooked before consumption.
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They are a relative of the macadamia nut and can be substituted for it in recipes
Candlenuts, also known as kemiri, are native to the tropics of Indonesia and have been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, and beauty rituals. They are a relative of the macadamia nut and can be substituted for them in recipes. They have a high oil content, which even allowed them to be used to fashion candles, hence the name. Candlenuts are commonly used in Southeast Asian and Polynesian cuisine. They are especially popular in Malay, Nyonya, and Indonesian cooking, where they are used to add a rich flavour to dishes.
Candlenuts are round, about 4-6 centimetres in diameter, and have a hard, furrowed shell. The kernel inside is whitish-yellow, waxy, and fleshy and is the source of candlenut oil. The candlenut tree grows to a height of 15-25 metres, with wide-spreading branches and pale green leaves. The nut is toxic in its raw form and causes laxative effects and vomiting if a lot is ingested. However, cooking and toasting the nut reduces its toxicity, and it can be used in many different dishes. Candlenuts are typically roasted in their shells before the kernels are removed and used in cooking.
Candlenuts are often ground into a paste for seasoning or to thicken curries, sauces, and stews. They can also be chopped and sautéed, or dry roasted in a pan and added to curries, satay sauces, or sprinkled over rice dishes. In Indonesia, candlenuts are seen as a true kitchen staple and are used to make sambal bajak, a relish containing chillies, Malaysian Indian-influenced curries, or inamona, a Hawaiian condiment containing salt and chilli peppers. Candlenuts are also used in traditional medicine and beauty rituals due to their moisturising and health properties.
Candlenuts can be substituted with macadamia nuts in recipes because of their similar texture and oil content. They are both creamy and mild, although candlenuts may have a slightly bitter aftertaste. Cashew nuts can also be used as a substitute, but as they are very creamy, the quantity specified in the recipe should be halved.
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Frequently asked questions
Candle nuts, also known as kemiri, are native to the tropics of Indonesia and have been widely used for centuries in cooking, traditional medicine, and beauty rituals.
Candle nuts have a nutty, almost almond-like flavour, but milder. They are similar in taste, structure, and appearance to macadamia nuts.
Yes, raw candle nuts are mildly toxic and cause a laxative effect and vomiting if ingested. The toxicity is reduced when they are cooked or toasted.
