Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

[justplainbill]

I prefer the seeds to the pumpkin itself and have had good results by doing the following:
5 1/2 oz boiled water
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 tsp hot chili powder
1 appropriately sized jar
add rinsed pumpkin seeds
soak for one to two days
drain and dry on wax paper for one day
and on parchment for one additional day
bake on parchment paper at 250F for 45 minutes or until lightly browned
cool and store in a dry airtight container

Any suggestions for variants to the above would be appreciated (eg. how to add a smokey flavor?)

 

[jpe]

When you say 'jar' I am afraid you might be referring to deshelled seeds.

Surely they could be good - but I have preferred to use fresh WHOLE seeds - washing them - and placing in roasting pan - sprinkling some low sodium mineral salt - and then roasting at varying temps between 50 and 100 degr C - until crisp.

They are just GREAT - and have a 2 year old and 6 year old that jump up and down when they get them - and regularly as for more 'pumpkin candy'

No doubt all kinds of spices and herbs could be added -

But would just like to make the point that WHOLE seeds can be used to GREAT advantage!

(whole seeds are available - especially in Italy and Spain - if salted - they can be rinsed - and re-roasted using less salt and low sodium as well)

 

[justplainbill]

I'm using fresh seeds straight from the pumpkin.

 

[jpe]

ok - good

++

but actually - you can go directly from the rinsing to the oven

did it last night and whole process to roasted, crispy lightly salted seeds was about 5 hours.

 

[justplainbill]

Good to know. Just noticed your temps are in Celsius / Centigrade. Is the population in your country still around 5 million? Not too many people still remember / appreciate how forthright Finland was about paying off it's post WW2 debt. Hats off to Finland!
Best Regards- Bill

 

[jpe]

Yeah - you can save a LOT of time and trouble by popping them straight into the oven.

Works with squash seeds too - butternut particularly tasty.

++

Finnish population now 5.4 mill - growth of 750,000 from when I came to the country.

The debt was from WW1 - not 2. So you have a longer memory than what you think.