Cashew Nuts

I get excited every time I see the cashew apples on the trees. This is because from where I come from, cashew nut trees do not even exist! The first time I saw a cashew nut tree was when I moved here to KT. Pity me...kan???.. Here in Peninsular Malaysia, cashew nut trees can be found mostly in the East Coast particularly in Kelantan and Terengganu. I am not sure whether they can be found in other parts of Malaysia but definitely NOT in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur.

Last month I noticed that there were a lot of cashew apples on the trees ....There were the yellow apples and the red apples but I only managed to snap the photos of the yellow ones.

The fruit is called Cashew Apple. It is edible, and has a strong "sweet" smell and a sweet taste. ..

The cashew nut (seed) hangs at the bottom of the apple, and is c-shaped. The pulp of the cashew apple is very juicy and sweet. Nak makan kena petik sendiri kat pokok sbb tak jual kat mana2 pun..

Cashew apples and cashew nuts are excellent sources of nutrition. The cashew apple contains five times more vitamin C than an orange and contains more calcium, iron and vitamin B1 than other fruit such as citrus, avocados and bananas.

Ni buah yang tak berapa nak sihat ye! They are cashew apples from a tree we found by the roadside. Dari pokok terbiar..

The nuts look like boxing gloves..

Cashew tree by the roadside..

Butter toasted cashew nuts and sesame coated cashew nuts I bought in Rantau Panjang...Thailand mari ma..I especially love the sesame coated cashew nut. Sedap tau!

Cashews are a delicious snack that are good for us. They contain healthy mono-unsaturated fats, magnesium, and copper which help prevent heart disease, promote strong bones, and give you energy. I also found out that eating cashews may also reduce your risk of getting Colon Cancer.

Young leaves of cashew nut plants. Just like the fruit, the leaves are packed with vitamins. Ni beli kat pasar..

Here in the East Coast, the young leaves are often eaten raw as salad or with sambal belacan(shrimp paste mixed with chili and lime) or Budu (Anchovy Sauce). I love it you know. I suka ulam- ulaman- apa apa ulam pun I makan... I especially love to have it with Ikan Singgang and Budu! Peeergghhh!

Adding Cashews to any dish is also a great way to add taste and important nutrients to your diet. Cashew nuts are mostly common in Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisines.

You can also garnish your dish with cashew nuts..... This is Sweet Sour Meatball from Ummidishes..... Ni pinjam gambar from Umi hehe..

Well, till then. Have a beautiful weekend everyone... Tomorrow is a public holiday for us in Terengganu because Terengganu became the overall champion in SUKMA 2010. Congratulation to Trengganu and org2 Ganu kite!!!

Salak The Snake Fruit

Salak fruit has always been my favourite fruit. I love the taste - it's sweet and acidic. Salak fruit is also known as Snake Fruit due to it's reddish brown scaly skin. About 10 years ago, Salak fruit was not really popular in Malaysia and it was very hard to find it. Those days, the salak fruit that we found in the markets were imported from our neighbouring country, Indonesia. However, nowadays it can be found everywhere in Malaysia .

The salak tree in the pictures was planted by my father in law just behind his house. If I feel like eating Salak fruit I can just pluck it from the trees. I found out that the scientific name for salak fruit is 'Salacca Zalacca'. Hmmm..it sounds like my daughter's name, Sarah Zulaikha!. 'Salacca Zalacca' is a species of palm tree and native to Indonesia and Malaysia. The fruit inside consists of three lobes, each containing a large inedible seed which resembles garlic cloves. Just like Durian, Salak fruit looks ugly from the outside but tastes so delicious.

Those who have never taste the fruit should try it!

Durian Oh Durian

Well the durian season is back....For the past few weeks, everyday I would pass by Pasar Payang here in Terengganu just to enjoy the view of the 'King of Fruit' which can be found in abundance in front of the market. The price of Durian here, is quite reasonable and had lured many to stop and buy them. I did stop to buy the Durian a few times but most of the days I would just drove by the market to feel the joy of the durian season which is waited by many of us.

In Terengganu Durian is pronounced as 'Duriang'. People in Terengganu and Kelantan prefer to savour durian with sticky rice and coconut milk. As I am from Selangor, it is something new to me. The first time I tried it I did not really like it but after a few times I began to love it so much!

Well, I would like to share some interesting descriptions and facts about Durian :-

...among the world's most expensive fruits

...either a delicacy or a NUISANCE

...banned in hotels and public transportation

...shaped like a Hedgehog and smells like compost.

...smells like hell but taste like heaven

...having succulent creamy filling but smelling like stinky socks

...smells like old gym socks or rotting flesh

...unusual fruit from the east

...when the Durians come down the sarong goes up! (during picking season)

...can cause injury or death if it falls from the tree at a great height (of course!)

Whatever it is, to us in the East, the Durian is a food like no other and enjoyed by many. It tastes so delicious that most of us crave for it. It is also a nutritious fruit packed with minerals, protein and vitamins. It is especially rich in Vitamin B, C and E and has high iron content.

Well enjoy Durian everyone!