REPUBLIC DAY SPECIAL: THE CASHEW CONNECTION Healthy – wholesome & nutri-rich to use..!

BY: DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI – CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF.

Cashewnuts come from fruit producing trees, the fruit also known as cashew apple which resembles a bell pepper is what is called a false fruit, a fascinating sight of nature and a master of deception the real fruit dangles from the bottom of the cashew apple guarding within it a single seed known to us a cashewnuts which is commonly considered a snack nut eaten on its own and used in recipes or processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter as well for vegan cooking.

In its raw form the cashew kernel is soft, white and meaty, when roasted it enhances its taste and color. Among various varieties like almonds and hazelnuts, cashewnuts enjoys a topmost position and it is hard to resist as a snack at all important social functions especially in the west.

It is also believed that around four centuries ago the adventurous Portuguese came sailing down the indian coast and brought along the priceless tree and nut called cashew also known as the wonder nut of the world.

Let us check out a few health benefits of the wonder Cashewnuts:

• Cashew is known as an energising food and is also high in dietary fiber.
• Cashew is also a good source of minerals and proteins.
• Cashew is zero cholesterol nut and is healthy for us.
• Cashew is high in levels of anti-oxidants.
• Cashew helps maintain healthy gums and teeth.
• Cashewnuts has a high copper content and is vital in energy production.
• Cashews are heart friendly food though must be consumed in moderation.

Uses of Cashewnuts in Cooking & Baking:

• Cashews have been popularly served plain, with the skin on, roasted, salted and even fried and spiced as a snack.
• Cashews are a great thickening agent in our indian curries and gravy recipes.
• Cashewnuts go well into our sweets, mithai like Kaju katri and Kaju burfi, also puddings, pies, tarts and muffins too.
• Cashews are good to use as a garnish for our indian sweets like phirni, kheer, basundi etc.
• Cashews in biscuits, cookies, chocolates and milkshakes, smoothies and health power drinks also work well.
• Cashewnuts have also been a part of stuffing and fillings for cutlets, samosas, Kachories and many savoury dishes including being added into biryanis and pulao’s.

Here are a few Interesting and Yummy Recipes with Cashewnuts!

Recipe-1] PEPPERY CASHEW STIR FRY

Ingredients

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
• Ginger-1 tsp chopped
• Green chilies-2 slit
• Red chilies- 2 slit
• Red capsicums-1/2 no cubes
• Green capsicum-1/2 no cubes
• Spring onions- 3-4 sliced
• Lemon grass- 4-5 pieces’ cut
• Fresh basil leaves- 5-6 no
• Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
• Water/veg stock-1 cup
• Cottage cheese/ tofu- 150 gms cubes
• Cashews-1/2 cup fried
• Soy sauce- 1 tsp
• Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
• Tomato ketchup- 2 tsp
• Corn flour and water solution- 2 tbsp. to thicken up.
• Spring onion greens- 2 tbsp. for garnish.
• Toasted white sesame seeds- 2 tsp for garnish.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, saute the garlic, ginger, chilies and lemon grass for a few seconds, add in the sliced spring onions and cook for 1 min.
2. Add in the sauces, seasonings and capsicums and allow to cook for 3-4 mins, now add the corn flour and water solution and thicken up the gravy to medium or semi-dry if serving as a starter.
3. Finally add in the cubes of cottage cheese/tofu and fried cashews and mix well, simmer for 3-4 mins and serve hot garnished with spring onion greens and toasted white sesame seeds.

Recipe-2] HEALTHY WHOLESOME CASHEW BROTH

Ingredients

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
• Cloves-3-4 no
• Curry leaves-5-6 no
• Garlic-1 tsp sliced
• Ginger- 2 tsp shredded
• Green chilies-2 no slit
• Red chilies- 2 no sliced
• Onion-1/2 chopped
• Cashew paste-2 tbsp.
• Cashews- ¼ cup
• Carrots-1/2 no cubes
• French beans- 3-4 no cut into pieces
• Cauliflower- 4-5 florets
• Mushrooms- 4-5 cut 1×2
• Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1 tsp
• Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
• Water/veg stock-2 -3 cups
• Corn flour and water solution- 2- 3 tbsp.
• Coconut milk- 1 and a half cup
• Chopped coriander- 2 tbsp.
• Roasted crushed peanuts-2 tbsp.
• Lime juice- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add in the cloves, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger and chilies, onions and give it a light saute.
2. Add in the assorted vegetables of your choice or as listed above and add in the powdered spices, salt and pepper and add water or vegetable stock and allow to boil and then simmer for 10-12 mins.
3. Now add in the cashew paste and coconut milk and some chopped coriander leaves and allow to simmer further for 4-5 mins or until all vegetables are cooked just to the crunch.
4. Slightly thicken the soup if desired with a little cornflour water solution or else enjoy it as a nice light broth with bits and pieces of veggies and richness of cashew and mild coconut flavor.
5. Lastly, garnish the soup with fresh herbs, fried or toasted cashews, chili flakes, fried onions, fried garlic cloves, add in a splash of fresh lime juice just before serving the cuppa soup.

Recipe- 3] CASHEW CORN FRIED RICE

Ingredients

• Boiled white/brown rice- 2 cups
• Oil-2 tsp
• Garlic-2 tsp chopped
• Green chilies- 2 no slit
• Spring Onions- 4-5 no chopped
• Boiled sweet corn- 1 cup
• White sesame seeds- 2 tsp
• Capsicums-1/2 no chopped
• French beans- 4-5 cut into 1 inch pieces.
• Carrot-1/2 cut into small dices
• Salt and crushed black pepper
• Soy sauce- 1 tsp
• Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
• Green chili sauce- 2 tsp
• White vinegar-1 tsp
• Spring onion greens- 2 tbsp. chopped
• Fried/toasted cashews- ¼ cup for the final garnish.

Method:

1. To prepare the cashew corn fried rice, heat oil in a pan add in the chilies, garlic, onions and saute them for 1 min, add in the boiled corn and all other veggies and saute them for 4-5 mins.
2. Also add in the seasonings, sauces and little water just to keep the veggies a little moist in the pan and add in the cooked rice of your choice and toasted sesame seeds and give it all a nice stir fry.
3. Cook the fried rice on a medium flame for 3-4 mins and check for taste and adjust accordingly, add in the white vinegar and spring onions, cashews towards the end and serve it hot!

Recipe-4] CASHEW COCONUT CHICKEN TRIO

Ingredients

• Oil-2 tsp.
• Boneless chicken cubes- 250 gms no skin.
• Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

To marinate the chicken:

• Soy sauce- 2 tsp
• Red chili sauce- 2 tsp
• Honey- 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Additional ingredients for the recipe:

• Cashews- ¼ cup fried/toasted
• Red capsicum-1/2 no cut into large cubes
• Yellow capsicum-1/2 no cut into large cubes
• White sesame seeds- 2 tsp toasted
• Desiccated coconut-2 tbsp.
• Garlic-2 tsp chopped
• Ginger juliennes- 2 tsp
• Slit red chilies- 2 no.
• Lemon grass- 3-4 pieces’ cut
• Fresh basil leaves- 8-10 no
• Water/chicken stock-2 cups
• Schezuan sauce/chutney- 2 tsp.
• Tomato sauce- 2 tbsp.
• Corn flour and water solution- 2 tbsp. to thicken up
• Steamed white rice/ jasmine rice to serve with. Spring onion greens/ herbs for garnish

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken cubes and keep aside for 10-15 mins.
2. Heat oil in a pan or a wok and saute the ginger, garlic, red chilies and onions, lemongrass for a minute.
3. Add in the capsicums and chicken cubes and saute them, add in the seasonings, schezuan sauce, desiccated coconut and little water or stock allow chicken to cook for 8-10 mins on a medium flame.
4. Now add in the liquid as desired to get a texture to the gravy and add corn flour water solution and thicken up the gravy to the desired consistency, add in the cashews and mix them in well.
5. Add in the herbs, greens and sesame seeds and serve the delicious cashew coconut chicken trio with a nice portion of steamed rice!

Recipe-5] KAJU INDIANA MASALA

Ingredients

• Oil-2 tsp
• Butter-2 tsp
• Cashews-1/2 cup + ¾ cup cashews
• Red chilies- 2-3
• Onions-2 med sized
• Tomatoes- 3-4 no med sized
• Garlic-ginger paste- 2 tsp mix
• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Red chili powder- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Kasuri methi- 2 tsp
• Fresh cream/malai-2 tbsp.
• Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
• Milk-1/2 cup to grind

Method:

1. In a pan take 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter and add in the red chilies, tomatoes, onions, ½ cup cashews, ginger-garlic paste and saute it well for a few minutes until soft and tender, cool it a bit and then add ½ cup milk and grind it all to a smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Heat up 1 tsp oil and butter and add in the cumin seeds and let them splutter for a few seconds, add in the prepared paste mixture and the remaining cashews.
3. Add in the powdered spices and salt to taste along with kasuri methi, cream and mix it all up well and simmer for 5-6 mins on a low flame add ½ cup water as needed to adjust the texture of the gravy and finally serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves/ fried red chili/ fresh cream/nuts and seeds, serve with hot parathas, phulkas and salad/raita.

Recipe-6] CASHEW AND FOX NUT PUDDING

Ingredients

• Milk- 750 ml
• Ghee-1 tsp
• Green cardamom/ cinnamon powder- ¼ tsp
• Fox nuts/ makhanas- 1 cup
• Cashew paste- 2 tbsp.
• Mava- 2 tbsp. grated
• Coconut milk-1/2 cup
• Fried/toasted cashews- 8-10 roughly cut to add later.
• Saffron- 1 pinch
• Rose water- 2 tsp
• Sugar/jaggery/organic coconut sugar- as desired as per taste.
• Raisins-2 tsp chopped

Assorted fresh fruits – mango, pears, grapes, pomegranate seeds etc as desired for layering the sweet dish, chopped dates may also be used.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the cashew and fox nut pudding.
2. Heat up the milk in a saucepan, add in the saffron, cardamom/cinnamon powder and mava, sweetener of your choice and stir well and cook it all for 3-4 mins.
3. Now add in the makhanas and allow them to simmer in the milk for 10-12 mins, add in the cashew paste and coconut milk as well and cook on low flame for another 4-6 mins.
4. Allow to cool and reach room temperature and add a few drops of rose water, mix and then assemble the sweet into dessert cups / bowls /pudding dishes alternating It with a later of cut fresh fruits/dates and cashews in between as well, allow to chill for 1-2 hours and serve the pudding.