Five-Spice Nuts with Soy Sauce and Sesame

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Pinch of ground cloves

• 3 cups cashews
• 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook star anise pods, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and fennel seeds, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, cloves, and 1 Tbsp. water, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cashews and toss to coat.
2. Spread mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Bake, tossing once, until nuts are golden brown and no longer sticky, 15–25 minutes.