Paradise nut

Lecythis zabucajo · Nut

40 pairings

The paradise nut, also called the sapucaia nut, is the oil-rich seed of Lecythis zabucajo and related Lecythis trees of the Amazon — a close relative of the Brazil nut in the family Lecythidaceae. Buttery, sweet and widely regarded as finer-flavoured and easier to digest than the Brazil nut, it is gathered from the wild Amazon forest.

Picking a good onedrag

Fresh, waxy, cream-paleRancid or mouldy

Sound and waxyThe all-rounder: raw in a bowl, lightly toasted, chopped through cakes, or set into chocolate. A tree nut, so say so when you serve it.Everyday best

The kernelCream still and sound, but the surface has gone matte

Break oneFirm still, the break a shade softer and duller

SmellFaint and buttery, close to nothing at all

What to look for, from fresh, waxy, cream-pale to rancid or mouldy.

Preparing