A much loved and well-known dry fruit in Pakistan, the Kaju, or cashew nut as it is known in English, is a dry fruit that originates from the cashew tree. The tree originates in Brazil but is very commonly grown in parts of Asia and Africa. The nut has an almost bean-like shape and an off-white to yellow color.

Because they are one of the more expensive dry fruits in Pakistan, they are only ever used, if at all, as a topping on some sweet dishes like ice creams and halwa or rarely as a small snack. Most people only ever get to enjoy them once every few years, and thus do not know the diverse recipes that they can be used to make, as well as their benefits.

So, in this article, we will tell you about the most popular and well-known Kaju recipe to get your cashew eating going.

Kaju Price

The price of the cashew nut in Pakistan is the major reason that it is seen so little in most homes, but that does not mean it should be ignored. If you buy them online, the current kaju per kg price in Pakistan is about Rs. 4500/- on average. 

While this is on the higher side, if you compare it to something like chilgoza, which costs around 10,000 for a kilogram, you can see that the prices are not actually that unbelievable.

Kaju Recipes

As stated earlier, because of how little it is seen in homes in Pakistan, most people are not even aware of the many different ways in which you can eat cashew nuts. 

There are many different recipes that can be made revolving around cashew nuts. Here is just one of the most common:

Kaju Katli

The Kaju Katli is a ‘mithai’ (or a sweetmeat in English) that is close in appearance and taste to the well-known and loved barfi but with a cashew flavor. This makes it a great option if you want to try something that is new but also not too out there.

Preparation

To make kaju katli, start by taking roughly two cups of cashew nuts (make sure they are raw and not roasted or salted) and grind them in a food processor until you get a fine powder, making sure there are no lumps. Strain it if you need to.

Cooking

Put half a cup of water in a large pot, along with a full cup of sugar. Stir it on medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and a smooth mixture is formed.

Now, add the powdered cashew nut to the mixture a little at a time so that it does not clump up. Lower the heat to a low flame and keep mixing and stirring until the powder has been completely mixed in.

This next step is not necessary, but we think it elevates the katli to a great extent. Add a teaspoon of ghee and just a quarter of a teaspoon of cardamom to your mixture to give it a burst of flavour. Stir this in keeping on a low heat until it becomes a uniform part of the mixture.

Keep stirring until the mixture thickens up and starts to separate from the pot.

Shaping

Now, you will want to grease up a piece of parchment paper on something like a tray and then move your mixture onto it.

When the mixture has cooled down a little bit but is still warm, start to knead it like a dough, making it softer and stretchy. Then, form it into a ball and put another piece of greased-up parchment paper on top of it.

Now, use a rolling pin or something similar to roll it out like a pizza, making sure to keep it about an inch in thickness (or more if you want), and then remove the parchment. At this point, for a bit of added presentation, you can place some silver leaf or ‘vark’ as we call it locally, on top of it.

Presentation

Now, for an authentic-looking kaju katli, cut it into a diamond shape. A more elongated diamond is the more traditional shape of a kaju katli and should be easy enough to do manually with a knife. But, if you do not want to get into the hassle of that, you can use a square cookie cutter or something along those lines to achieve a similar but more even shape.

And with that, your healthy and tasty sweet is ready!

Closing Thoughts

Considering the cashew nuts price in Pakistan, it has started to, unfortunately, become a rarer and rarer sight in households. Hopefully, this new and different recipe will motivate you to buy cashew nuts and enjoy the various benefits and the unique taste.