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3 min readCandlenut (Kemiri) Guide
Flavor role, buying tips, storage, and substitutions for Balinese cooking
Bumbu Bali Editorial
Culinary education team · Bali, Indonesia
Last reviewed 1 August 2026
Flavor role in Balinese cooking
Candlenuts enrich pastes with body and mild oiliness. They are a texture builder in bumbu.
How to buy and store
- Use raw only in cooked pastes
- Lightly toast for aroma
- Store airtight
Smart substitutions
- Macadamia is the best common substitute
- Almonds are acceptable in a pinch
Where it shows up
- Base genep
- Meat pastes
- Some sambals
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