Cashew

Cashews offer a creamy texture and subtle sweetness to a variety of dishes.

Flavor

How to use it

Dairy-Free Creaminess. Blend soaked cashews for fats that emulsify, achieving a creamy texture akin to dairy.

Stir-Fry Star. Cooking cashews releases oils that bind well with spices, providing crunch and flavor.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the soak leads to grainy sauces from a broken emulsion.
• Overroasting makes for acrid-tasting compounds.

What goes with cashew

• Nutritional Yeast. Cashews blend into a creamy base that nutritional yeast turns cheesy.
• Chicken Breast. Cashew's buttery crunch contrasts with lean, tender stir-fried chicken.
• Paneer. Cashew paste gives paneer gravies a creamy, slightly sweet base.
• Coconut Milk. Coconut milk's fat highlights cashew's texture by dissolving aroma compounds.
• Ginger. Gingerol in ginger adds warmth, highlighting cashew's notes.
• Soy Sauce. Soy sauce's saltiness and umami bolster cashew's mild, creamy flavor.
• Cream. Blended cashew gives dairy-free cream a rich, smooth body.
• Tofu. Cashew's crunch contrasts with soft, mild tofu.

Try tonight

• Prepare a cashew cream sauce for pasta.
• Add cashews to a curry for texture contrast.
• Incorporate cashew butter into a cookie recipe.

Storage

Seal tightly in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.