Masala Kaju

whole cashews fried or roasted crisp and tossed in a tangy, fiery dust of chilli, chaat masala, and black salt, the irresistible spiced-nut snack of the Indian bar, festival, and tea tray

Origin: India

From the journey of Cashew.

Masala kaju is the cashew at its most moreish: whole nuts fried or roasted until deep golden and crisp, then tumbled while still warm in a tangy, savoury, gently fiery spice dust of red chilli, chaat masala, black salt, and a whisper of turmeric or amchur. It is the quintessential Indian namkeen, the savoury snack set out with tea, passed round at Diwali and weddings, and, above all, served with drinks, the cashew being the grandest and most generous of all the nuts a host might offer. The play of the rich, buttery nut against the sour-salty-spicy coating is precisely calculated to keep the hand returning to the bowl. Quick to make and endlessly addictive, masala kaju shows the cashew in the role it plays across the whole subcontinent and beyond: not hidden in a gravy or a sweet, but celebrated whole, as the finest of nuts to eat by the handful.

Ingredients

The Cashews

  • 300 g whole raw cashews
  • 2 tbsp ghee or oil (plus more if deep-frying)

The Masala

  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • 0.5 tsp black salt (kala namak)
  • 0.25 tsp ground turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp amchur (dried mango powder), optional
  • 1 pinch fine salt, to taste

Method

  1. Mix all the masala spices together in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Heat the ghee or oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the cashews, stirring constantly, until they are an even deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, roast them in a 160°C oven, tossing, for about 15 minutes.)
  3. Lift the cashews out with a slotted spoon, letting excess fat drain, and tip them straight into the bowl of spices while piping hot.
  4. Toss thoroughly so every nut is coated in the spice. Taste and adjust the salt and chilli.
  5. Spread out to cool completely, when they will turn crisp, then store in an airtight jar.

Notes

For a no-fry, lighter version, dry-roast or oven-roast the cashews and toss with a teaspoon of oil and the spices. The masala is endlessly adjustable: add ground cumin, a pinch of asafoetida, or curry leaves fried in the ghee. Use ghee for the richest flavour or oil to keep it vegan.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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