The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Cashew nut

The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Cashew nut

Cashew nuts have sweet, buttery flavor and crunchy texture. Cashew trees were first grown in  Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. It was spread by the portuguese explorers all over the planet. – the shape of ca-s-hew nuts is like an kidney bean with a smooth surface and smooth curvy pointed tip. It is 1/2 inches in diameter and  about an inch in length. Cashew nut is also called a ‘Tree fruit”.

Heart Health with cashew nuts

Cashew nuts reduces bad cholesterol and increases the capacity of HDL. It helps to lower the blood pressure and reduces the risk of diseases  such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases.

 Prevents Blood Disease with cashew nuts

Cashews avoid blood diseases. It contains copper which prevents free radicals from the body.

Protects the Eye with cashew nuts

Cashews contains zeaxanthin which is an antioxidant that helps to prevent many eye diseases. It also maintains eye health and prevents macular degeneration

Good for the Skin with cashew nuts

Cashew nuts  helps in maintaining the healthy skin because of the proteins, selenium, zinc, antioxidants, iron and phosphorus it contains. It also prevents from cancer..

Weight Loss with cashew nuts

Cashew nuts help in burning calories and thus reduces the weight.

Cashew nuts are good sources of fibers

Healthy and Shiny Hair with cashew nuts

Cashew nuts are a great source of copper, linoleic and oleic acids.

  which is very important for hair growth. It provides shiny texture to hair and promotes hair health.

Cashews Are an Excellent Source of Antioxidants

Cashews contains vitamin E and k which protects the body from oxidative damage. The antioxidants present in cashews protect the cell membranes from free radical damage.

Cashews Contain No Cholesterol

Cashews do not contain any cholesterol which is beneficial for the heart and it keeps away from many diseases.

Eating Cashews Lowers Your Risk of Gallstones

Cashews lower the risk of gallstones.

Cashew nut can be eaten in evening. They goes well with every food item.

How to buy and store cashews

Cashews are available in different forms like aw, salted, sweetened or candied cashews.  Buy cashews that are free from cracks, mold, and spots and free of rancid smell. They should be compact, uniform, fell heavy in hand and its texture should be bright cream-white. Cashews should be store airtight container and keep in the refrigerator to avoid them turn rancid. Under ideal conditions, fresh nuts should last for 5-6 months.

Ways to use cashews

Cashews can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

  • Cashews can be enjoyed as a snack as they are. They can also be eaten salted or sweetened.
  • Cashews are nutty yet pleasantly sweet in taste. They can be relished as a garnish in various kinds of sweets and desserts.
  • Cashews, along with almonds and other dry fruits, are being used in savory rice dishes Hyderabadi-biryani, rice-pulao…etc, and in curry (kaju-shahi-paneer) preparations in Indian, Persian, Pakistani, and Middle-Eastern regions.
  • Split or crushed cashew along with almonds, pistachio is often sprinkled over desserts, particularly sundaes, and other confectionaries to enhance flavor.
  • The nuts widely employed in the confectionery, as an addition to biscuits, sweets, and cakes.
  • Cashew apples are among popular fruits; eaten on their own in many regions around the world. They are also being used to prepare healthy drinks.

Season in which cashew nut is available

Cashew nut is available all year round.

How to make Olya Kaju Chi Amti Recipe – Malvani Cashew Nut Curry

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal)    , washed
  • 1/2 cup Masoor Dal (Whole), washed
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • 1 tablespoon Ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 Dry red chillies
  • 1 teaspoon Jaggery
  • For the masala
  • 1/4 cup Fresh coconut, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1 Dry red chilli
  • 6 cloves Garlic

Method

  1. To begin making the Olya Kaju Chi Amti Recipe, in a pressure cooker, combine the washed toor dal and masoor dal along with a cup of water, some turmeric powder, salt and close the pressure cooker.
  2. Pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles and turn off the flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
  3. In a small skillet, dry roast the freshly grated coconut, cumin seeds, dry red chilli and garlic cloves, until the coconut starts turning into a light brown colour.
  4. After about 4-5 minutes, turn off the flame and allow it cool.
  5. Transfer the coconut mixture into a mixer-jar and grind into a coarse mixture. Set aside.
  6. Heat a saucepan with 1/2 a cup of water, bring it to a rolling boil. To this add the cashew nuts and turn off the flame. Allow the cashew nuts to sit in the water for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the water and set aside.
  7. Heat a kadai with ghee on medium heat; once the ghee is hot, add in the cumin seeds and mustard seeds, allowing it to splutter.
  8. Next add the dry red chilli, asafoetida, and the cashew nuts, Saute for a couple of minutes, until the cashew start turning into a light brown colour.
  9. Next, add the freshly ground coconut masala and give it a good mix.
  10. Finally add in the boiled dal and bring the Olya Kaju Chi Amti to a single boil.
  11. Adjust the consistency of the Olya Kaju Chi Amti to your liking. Turn off the heat and transfer the Olya Kaju Chi Amti to a serving bowl and serve hot.
  12. Serve Olya Kaju Chi Amti along with Steamed Rice, Malvani Kurkuri Bhindi Recipe – Moongphali Bhindi Sabzi, a bowl of fresh dahi for a simple weekday meal.

How to make Goan Kaju Curry Recipe (Spicy Goan Cashew Nut Curry)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Cashew nuts, halved
  • 1 Tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum), diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • Cooking oil, for cooking
  • 1 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, chopped, for garnishing
  • Salt, to taste
  • Ingredients to be ground to paste
  • 1 cup Fresh coconut, grated
  • 2 Onion, finely chopped
  • 5 Garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
  • 3 Byadagi Dried Chillies
  • 5 Whole Black Peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 2 Cloves (Laung)
  • 1/2 Tamarind, marble sized ball

Method

  1. To Begin making the Goan Kaju Curry recipe, soak the cashew nuts into hot water for minimum 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile proceed for making the curry/gravy.
  3. Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves and dry red chilies until you get a roasted aroma. Add the coconut and roast it along with the spices until you can smell the aromas of the coconut. Add the tamarind ball and saute for a few seconds and turn off the heat.
  4. For making the gravy, place a kadai on medium heat and add a teaspoon of oil. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent.
  5. Once cooled, grind the above mentioned grated coconut and spice mixture along with the onions to make a smooth paste, by adding a little water. 
  6. In the same pan where you saute the onions, heat a teaspoon of oil on medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and saute them until it softens. Add the capsicum and saute for a couple of minutes until it softens and cooks through.
  7. Add the masala curry paste to the above tomato capsicum mixture and the soaked cashew nuts and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add a little water to adjust the consistency of the Kaju Curry.
  8. Stir and simmer the Goan Kaju Curry for about 10 Minutes. Once done, check the salt and spice levels and adjust to suit your taste. Finally stir in the chopped coriander leaves and serve.
  9. Serve this Goan Kaju Curry for parties along with Phulkas, Jeera Rice And a Salad for a weeknight dinner or a special Sunday lunch

Safety profile for using cashew nuts

Cashew nut do not have any particular risks. But it can cause allergy to some people. The symptoms include breathing difficulty, pain abdomen, vomiting, and diarrhea.Cross-reactions may also occur with some other nuts and fruits of Anacardiaceae family such as mango, pistachio, etc.

Fun facts about cashew nut

  • Cashews are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal areas of northeastern Brazil.
  • The cashew tree made its way to Goa, India, between 1560 and 1565 via Portuguese sailors. From there it spread throughout Southeast Asia and eventually Africa.
  • Commercial growers in the 21st century cultivate cashews in warm, humid climates across the globe, with India, Ivory Coast, Vietnam and Brazil among the top producers of 32 cashew countries.
  • Cashew nuts are produced in tropical countries because the tree is frost sensitive, adapting to various climatic regions between the latitudes of 25°N and 25°S.
  • The cashew tree is large and evergreen, growing to 14 m (46 ft) tall, with a short, often irregularly shaped trunk.
  • The leaves are spirally arranged, leathery textured, elliptic to ovate, from 4 to 22 cm (1.6 to 8.7 in) long and from 2 to 15 cm (0.79 to 5.91 in) broad, with smooth margins.
  • The flowers are produced in a panicle or corymb up to 26 cm (10 in) long; each flower is small, pale green at first, then turning reddish, with five slender, acute petals from 7 to 15 mm (0.28 to 0.59 in) long. The main pollinators are bats and insects.
  • The fruit of the cashew tree is an accessory fruit or false fruit (like strawberry). The term false fruit (accessory fruit) is sometimes applied to a plant structure that resembles a fruit, but is not derived from a flower or flowers. Called the cashew apple, it ripens into a yellow and/or red structure from 5 to 11 cm (2.0–4.3 in) long. It is edible and has a strong “sweet” smell and a sweet taste.
  • The true fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney or boxing-glove shaped drupe that grows at the end of the cashew apple. The drupe develops first on the tree, and then the pedicel expands to become the cashew apple. Within the true fruit is a single seed, which is often considered a nut, in the culinary sense.
  • The seed is surrounded by a double shell containing a caustic phenolic resin, urushiol, a potent skin irritant toxin also found in the related poison ivy in the sumac family. Some people are allergic to cashews, but cashews are a less frequent allergen than some other nuts.
  • There are 553 Calories calories in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of raw cashews.
  • Cashews are about 21% protein, 46% fat, and 25% carbohydrates.
  • In Western countries cashews are eaten mainly as a premium-quality snack food. They have a rich, buttery taste.
  • The so-called “raw cashews” available in health food shops have been cooked but not roasted or browned.
  • Cashews are commonly used in South and Southeast Asian cuisine and are a characteristic ingredient of numerous chicken and vegetarian dishes of southern India.
  • Cashew oil is a dark yellow oil for cooking or salad dressing pressed from cashew nuts (typically broken chunks created during processing).
  • Cashews also can be processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter which is similar to peanut butter.
  • The shell of the cashew seed yields derivatives that can be used in many applications including lubricants, waterproofing, paints, and arms production, starting in World War II.
  • The cashew apple can be eaten fresh, cooked in curries, or fermented into vinegar, as well as an alcoholic drink. It is also used to make preserves, chutneys, and jams in some countries such as India and Brazil.
  • In traditional Maya medicine, the leaves or bark of cashew trees can be made into a tea to treat diarrhea.
  • Cashew belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, which also includes mango and pistachio.
  • Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree caju, which itself is derived from the Tupian word acajú, literally meaning “nut that produces itself.”

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