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A few months ago I came across these attractively packaged sunflower seeds at H Mart. Apparently ripe for another oral fixation, I was snagged by the promise of “coconut flavor” and “selected large and plump full sunflower seeds from the natural Inner Mongolian environmental-friendly farm.” It wasn’t hype. These shells are fat, and snap open cleanly with a minimum of dental pressure. The seasoning is very subtle and reminiscent of milk and cereal. Their enormity and freshness were really apparent compared to a slightly rancid bag from an American producer I found on Devon. The seriousness of my addiction is such that I can’t stop popping them long enough to drink my morning coffee.
At the Vietnamese Broadway Supermarket at 4879 N. Broadway I found them again alongside a knockoff brand (or maybe it’s the other way around) from Sichuan with packaging entirely in Chinese. These contained salt, licorice, and fennel in addition to the sweetener. Also very good, but generally slightly smaller.