Cashew
 
The Cashew is grown in a tree in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. This plant is basically native to northeastern Brazil where it is referred as caju. It is now cultivated in all regions with sufficiently warm and humid climate. The tree has fruits which are oval or pear-shaped accessory fruits developed from the receptacle of the cashew flower.

The fruits are often referred as cashew apples. The true fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney or boxing-glove shaped drupe which grows at the end of the pseudofruit. Actually, the drupe develops first on the tree, and then the peduncle expands into the pseudofruit. Within the true fruit is a single seed, the cashew nut. The seed is surrounded by a double shell containing a caustic phenolic resin, urushiol, a potent skin irritant toxin and some people are allergic to cashews, but cashews are a less frequent allergen than some other nuts.

The urushiol will be removed from the dark green nut shells before the seed inside is processed for consumption. In India urushiol is traditionally used to control tamed elephants by its rider or keeper.

The cashew apple is mainly used for its juicy but acidic pulp, which can be eaten raw or used in the production of jam, chutney, or various beverages. At some places, its juice is also processed and distilled into liquor or consumed diluted and sugared as a refreshing drink, Cajuína. The cashew apple is the source of juicy pulp used to prepare fenny which is the local popular distilled liquor in Goa.

The cashew apple has tannin and is very perishable. Hence, in most of the places, the false fruit is simply discarded after removal of the cashew nut. The cashews have high oil content and can be used not only for cashew butters, but also for some other nut butters to add extra oil. The liquid contained within the shell casing of the cashew, known as Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) which has a variety of industrial uses.

India is one of the largest producers of cashew kernels.  Kollam or Quilon in Kerala, South India produces one of the finest varieties of cashews. The major trading centers of cashew in India are Palasa, Kollam or Quilon Mangalore and Kochi.

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