Cashew is a nut that is pale white in color and comes encased in a hard outer nut shell. This nut is sweetish in taste and is quite buttery. It can be eaten in many ways and tastes great in savory and sweet recipes.
- The sweet, buttery-tasting cashew is a perfect snack when either eaten raw or toasted with a little masala to make healthy roasted cashews.
- Cashews are one of the main ingredients in Punjabi gravies and subzis. When blended together with different types of masalas, cashews form a smooth paste which gives a great consistency and thickness to the gravy. The addition also balances the flavor of curry as in Dum Aloo or Paneer Pasanda.
- These nuts are an essential in Indian food. Apart from being used in gravies, they are added todifferent rice preparations for a certain amount of crunch to the dish. They are most commonly used in Biryanis and Pulaos but sometimes also in the South Indian delicacy, Bisi Bele Bhaat.
- It is also used in many tikkas and kebabs. For Afghani paneer, cashews are grinded up with poppy seeds and garam masala and made into a delicious marinade. They are also put over kebabs and deep fried.
- One of the most famous sweets in India, Kaju Katli, is a preparation made from milk, ghee, cashews and sugar. The four simple ingredients are thickened and transformed into perfect diamond shaped treats. They are also used to make kaju rolls and other sweets.
- Dry fruits form an essential part of Indian Desserts from sheeras to Basundi. Cashews are added either as a whole or chopped to sweet preparations like Paal Payassam to add to its richness.
- Cashews are used as a stuffing or in the batter of many Indian snacks. Kanchipuram idli is famous for its cashew use in the south while in Rajasthan it is used as a stuffing in Gujjias, sweet deep fried goodness!
- Cashews are really important in Vegan Cuisine. Since cashews turn into a very smooth paste if grinded enough, due to the oil content, it turns into Cashew butter. This can be used as a spread too. Further, you can even make Cashew milk with it, which is the replacement of dairy milk.
- Cashew powder is used as a thickener and as a replacement of maida in soups and stews where maida is used to provide thickness. Fried cashews are usually added to jar snacks like Chivdas or namkeens for a different flavor profile.
- Cashews are also a common ingredient in confectionaries like cookies and cakes. In fact, cashews have become a popular dessert nuts behind almonds. They can be added as is or coated with chocolate and honey.
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