crushed peanuts

Also known as: Crushed Peanut

Roasted peanuts broken into small pieces, used as a crunchy topping or garnish, especially in Southeast Asian dishes. Because they're high in oil, they go rancid faster than most pantry staples, so freshness matters more than the printed date suggests.

Buying guidance

Smell them right after opening: they should smell sweet and nutty, never sharp, bitter, or like old paint -- that's rancidity, and it doesn't cook out. Buy roasted peanuts and crush them yourself for the freshest result, rather than a pre-crushed product that's been sitting open and oxidizing.

Substitutions

Chopped roasted cashews -- similar crunch and richness, milder flavor.
Chopped roasted almonds -- good crunch, though a firmer bite and less fat than peanuts.
Toasted sunflower seeds -- nut-free option with decent crunch, though a plainer flavor.

Tips & common mistakes

Sprinkled onto a hot or moist dish right before serving, they stay crunchy; stirred in too early or left sitting on something warm and wet, they soften and lose their crunch within minutes.

Storage

Because the pieces are already broken open, the oil inside is exposed directly to air -- refrigerate or freeze the bag if it won't be used within a few weeks, since room-temperature storage shortens their fresh window compared to whole roasted peanuts.