It’s cashew season, and in Goa, when we think of cashews, we quickly link them to, either, urrak, feni or niro. In Goa, cashew apples are primarily juiced, and this juice is then distilled into urrak and feni. But today, we are going to highlight some other dishes prepared from cashews.
First up is Cashew Sorpotel, the vegan’s dream sorpotel. It has the perfect flavour to satisfy the taste buds – tender, juicy and tangy, with a twist of spice.
Those who have eaten this dish will tell you that the cashew apple not only has the right texture for this dish, but it also soaks up the masala.
It’s a very rare dish, but in present times, people are unleashing their creativity and experimenting with the cashew fruit as the main ingredient.
The spices used to prepare this are the same that go into preparing Pork Sorpotel; the only ingredient that is replaced is pork.
It’s a very rare dish, but in present times, people are unleashing their creativity and experimenting with the cashew fruit as the main ingredient.
Another interesting dish is Cashew Chutney. This preparation was put together by Mapuii Fanai from Pilerne. She says that Cashew Chutney is a dish for those who are interested in trying something new for the palate.
The initial Cashew Chutney was very spicy, and Mapuii says that she had to tone down the spice as many people found it unappealing. She says that the chutney goes well with momos.
However, her personal favourite combination is Cashew Chutney with rice, noodles or even as a side in a Goan thali.
For those who like breads, there’s Cajuche Bhakri (hand-pressed unleavened bread of cashew). “I still make this bread for my kid,” says Rosy Pereira, from Margao.
And, for those with a sweet tooth, there are quite a number of sweets prepared using cashews, one being Caju Melado, which Karishma Alvares, from Loutolim, learnt from her grandmother.
Karishma says that Caju Melado has often proven to be a good antidote for mild colds, cough and nasal congestion. It’s also a diuretic, and in some instances, Caju Melado serves as a local remedy for certain ailments.
Karishma adds, “During the summer season, when we were on vacation, my grandmother would keep us engaged in the preparation of these sweets, and that’s how I learnt to prepare Caju Melado.”
So, the next time you are in Goa during the cashew season, don't miss the other delicacies made of cashew.