transplanted to India and East Africa by the
Portuguese, and today these regions are the
world’s largest producers. The cashew is
second only to the almond in world trade. It’s
a relative of poison ivy, and that’s why we
never see cashews for sale in the shell. The
shell contains an irritating oil that must be
driven off by heating before the seed can be
carefully extracted without contamination. In
the producing countries, the seed-containing
fruit is often discarded in favor of the swollen
stem tip or “false fruit” called the cashew
apple, which is enjoyed either fresh, cooked,
or fermented into an alcoholic drink.
Cashews are unusual among oily nuts in
containing a significant amount of starch
(around 12% of their weight), which makes
them more effective than most nuts at
thickening water-based dishes (soups, stews,
Indian milk-based desserts).
Chestnuts Chestnuts come from several