Sunday, April 3, 2016

C is for Cashew Nuts

C is for Cashew Nuts


These are the oddest looking nuts, growing out of the bottom of a fleshy plant. This is directly from Wiki The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical evergreen tree that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple.

It can grow as high as 14 metres (46 ft), but the dwarf cashew, growing up to 6 metres (20 ft), has proved more profitable, with earlier maturity and higher yields.

The cashew seed, often simply called a cashew, is widely consumed. It is eaten on its own, used in recipes, or processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter. The cashew apple is a light reddish to yellow fruit, whose pulp can be processed into a sweet, astringent fruit drink or distilled into liquor.

The shell of the cashew seed yields derivatives that can be used in many applications from lubricants to paints, and other parts of the tree have traditionally been used for snake-bites and other folk remedies.

Originally native to northeastern Brazil, the tree is now widely cultivated in Vietnam, Nigeria and India as major production countries.

In February I happened to watch a programme about Cashew Nuts, a programme called Food Unwrapped asks why cashews are never sold in their shells. The fruit part is edible straight from the tree and is supposed to have more Vitamin C than an orange. However, the nut is covered in a poisonous shell which could do serious damage to you. The natives burn the nuts in a pan of flames in order to remove the oils in the shell. Large producers do this by boiling the nuts, but it is now known that the shell yields useful derivatives as mentioned above.

I personally eat these nuts as they come from the store and don't usually cook with them, but this is A to Z.

Thai Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Recipe by:Shane Faz
AllRecipes

"A spicy, Thai style chicken dish with flavours of cashews, spring onions, and soy sauce. Serve over
rice."
4 servings

2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 ounces raw cashew nuts
2 fresh hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped
1 1/8 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons light soy sauce
5 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Add all ingredients to list

Heat sesame oil in a wok, and add cashews. Once brown, transfer cashews to a bowl. Set aside.
Add chile peppers to wok, and sir fry for 20 seconds. Stir in chicken, and season with pepper and salt to taste. Cook chicken until no longer pink. Stir in soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Stir in cashews and green onions, and stir fry for 2 minutes.


Have a great day
 

64 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - love cashew nuts .. they're delicious .. they mostly don't get near food - my mouth comes first! Cheers and all the best - Hilary

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    1. I'm a bit the same Hilary. Love to eat them.

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  2. I've had that dish before! Nothing beats a good Thai dish.
    Getting a jump on the letters this week?

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    1. You're right Alex. Thai food is good.

      Not intentionally, I obviously dated it wrongly. Will have to check all my other blogs.

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  3. Love cashews. Especially in Indian chicken dishes.

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  4. Isn't that something? I had no idea they grew like that.

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    1. Nor me Sandra. I had found out a lot about them and then happened to see a programme on TV about them.

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  5. Wow I had no idea that's how they grew! I've never had a cashew b/c of my nut allergy. I wonder if the fruit would cause the same allergic reaction?

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    1. Nor me JoJo. Dunno about the fruit but then I have never seen it over here.

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  6. You are a day early but that's ok...I'm playing catch up. I love cashews and never knew how they grew(wow..I feel like Pat Hatt). This was really interesting. Didn't know about the shell

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    1. I slipped up on the date somehow Birgit. I love cashews too have just finished munching a few. I had no idea how they grew or about the poisonous shell

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  7. Nice to know more about cashews. I love to eat them. I add them in my food to give a creamy structure and good taste...

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    1. It is interesting to know more about cashews. I was quite surprised when I watched the TV programme about them.

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  8. Anything Cashew is for me - love them!

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  9. I never knew! Cashews are labor intensive and it seems to take many trees to produce a crop!

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    1. Nor me Susan. One wonders who first discovered roasting the nuts to burn off the shells. Was it an accident or intentional?

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  10. mmmmm I love cashews. I live in Ecuador now where nuts (except peanuts) are not as plentiful and are very expensive. I haven't had a cashew in 18 months, but I understand now why. Thanks for sharing, I love learning something new! Have a blast with the challenge.

    @ScarlettBraden from
    Frankly Scarlett

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    1. Pity you don't have access to relatively inexpensive nuts any more Scarlett they are so good for you. Not that they are that cheap here in Canada either. Thanks for dropping by.

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  11. I like cashew nuts any way, in a recipe, like this one that looks delicious, and plain :) Always delicious

    betty

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    1. Me too Betty. Buy them in bulk and munch them all the time.

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  12. Hi there!

    I’m stopping by from the #AtoZChallenge. I LOVE cashews but had no idea this is how they were grown...lol...

    I have two blogs in this challenge…my author blog at THE STORY CATCHER (www.donnalmartin.com) and my KICKS Kids Club blog (www.kickskidsclub.blogspot.com) . If you get a chance, check them out and good luck with the challenge!

    Donna L Martin

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    1. Nor me Donna, it's amazing what we take for granted.

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  13. How bizarre. Thank you for that informative post, Jo. I had no idea that's how they grow. They add some lovely crunch to a dish.

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    1. It is odd isn't it Pinky? I hadn't a clue either. You never know they might grow on your mountain.

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  14. I would have never guessed those were cashews in the picture!

    Great recipes - can't wait to see more!

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    1. Thanks CR. I wouldn't have known what they were either.

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  15. We get through quite a few nuts, including cashews. Love them in a stir fry.

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    1. I love them any which way Helen. Delicious.

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  16. Cashews are lovely! Perhaps that's why it is expensive. Costs more than peanuts. Great if added as an ingredient as it gives that certain flavor!

    Hank

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    1. You are so right Frank. I think they are my favourite nut.

      I'm not a shrew
      But love a cashew

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  17. I love cashews! They taste buttery compared to other nuts. Wish I could afford cashew butter, meanwhile, I'll try to make your recipe, but without the chicken of course.

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    1. Me too Stephanie. Never come across cashew butter.

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  18. Yes, yum, cashews in cooking is delicious too!
    Cashew Chicken one of my favorites.

    Happy April 4th!

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    1. Definitely delicious Yolanda. Happy 4th to you too.

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  19. We have been eating a lot of cashews in my house lately. I didn't know about the poison shell! I haven't cooked with them but have had Thai food with cooked cashews. Finding Eliza

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    1. And in our house, although Matt seems to prefer peanuts Kristen. I have definitely cooked with them. Improve things a lot.

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  20. Great post. Thanks Jo.
    Jo-Ann Carson
    www.lovindanger.wordpress.com

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  21. Wow! I love cashews, but never knew that's how they grew! Learn something new everyday! Thanks!

    @AllysePanaro from
    The Frog Lady

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    1. Interesting isn't it Allyse? I was fascinated by the programme I saw.

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  22. Yes an outstanding photo that I never would have believed that's where cashews come from if you hadn't researched it, Jo. They're my husband's favourite so maybe I'll try that recipe tomorrow and give him a nice surprise :)
    Pempi
    A Stormy’s Sidekick
    Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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    1. I hope he enjoys it Pempi. I love cashews anyway I can get them.

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  23. I had no idea this is what growing cashews was like! As a Vegan I eat plenty of them, but I rely on others to remove the toxic layers, apparently! Thanks for sharing - this was a great choice for the letter C.

    I covered Calcium, if you're interested :-)

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    1. Yes, who knew? But the fruit is edible without doing anything to it.

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    2. Choose to Cook - I would love to read your calcium blog but I couldn't find it. Can you please leave me a link.

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  24. I had no idea you can make liquor out of cashew apples.

    Looks like a yummy recipe!

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  25. Thank you for visiting my blog and reminding me that shorter works better.I will keep it in mind for future posts! Thanks again.

    Finding Eliza

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    1. You're welcome Kristin. It is one of the main suggestions for A to Z as one has to read so many blogs.

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  26. I love eating nuts. They taste like great dessert. The best part of tucking into nuts has to be christmas cakes which is packed with ingredients, delicious to tuck into and all ways a treat!

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    1. I just like eating the nuts out of a box Spacerguy. Christmas, as kids, we used to have nuts in shells and spend hours cracking them. Don't remember cashews in those days though. Brazils and walnuts come to mind.

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  27. Cashews are definitely the favorite nut at our house. Like you, we eat them more than cook with them though I do put them on green salads.

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    1. Funny, I am just munching some right now Susan. Good on salads of course, but good just as they are.

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    2. Funny, I am just munching some right now Susan. Good on salads of course, but good just as they are.

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  28. Hi, Jo,

    This was so interesting. I had NO idea about how cashews grew. The fruit does look very appetizing, too.

    Cashews are certainly yummy in many asian dishes. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

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    1. Nor me Michael. The TV programme I saw was fascinating.

      Love me some cashews.

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  29. I love cashews, but don't buy them too often as I'd just munch my way through the lot - all those calories! Like many of your other readers here, I'd no idea how they grew - that's quite spectacular. The raw ones are brilliant in stir fries.

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    1. I'm a bit the same Sue but try and control myself. Except of course they aren't raw.

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  30. One of my most favorite whole foods. Though no salt or oils added, I like them as close to 'raw' as possible.

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    1. They are delicious. I do eat mine salted though Ivy.

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  31. I love cashews, but the sad thing I've heard is that the way in which they are harvested is TOXIC for the worker who picks them. It is very caustic. Oh, found this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11577928/Blood-cashews-the-toxic-truth-about-your-favourite-nut.html. So I've been eating less of them lately, and more almonds, walnuts and macadamia nuts. Maui Jungalow

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    1. Saw a programme on TV but they didn't mention the toxicity for workers Courtney. Late at night right now so won't follow your link until tomorrow.

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