Kemiri (Candlenut)

Aleurites Moluccana

Kemiri (Candlenut) are known as kukui nuts in Hawaii, where they are sometimes burned as ceremonial candles. Indonesians utilize these waxy nuts for a variety of applications from waterproofing boats to thickening sauces. You can use Macadamia nuts in place of kemiri, but where the macadamia is excellent raw, the candlenut really needs cooking to be appreciated. Kemiri is typically crushed in a mortar before cooking.