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Cajuína
Cajuína: clarified cashew-apple juice cooked in bottles until golden, served chilled
Teresina, the capital of Piauí, treats cajuína as a matter of local pride, and the drink's traditional craft is officially recognised as part of Brazilian cultural heritage. It is cashew-apple juice that has been clarified until crystal clear, bottled and cooked in a water bath until the natural fruit sugars caramelise and turn it amber-gold. No sugar is added. Served ice-cold, it tastes of baked apple and honey with a hint of cashew, smooth and non-alcoholic. Small producers clarify the juice with gelatin or cashew-tree resin; this vegan home version clears it by settling and filtering instead, which takes patience. Real cajuína is shelf-stable thanks to commercial sterilising; this home batch must be kept in the fridge and drunk within a week. Skipping the slow filtering is the usual error, and cloudy juice turns murky brown instead of gold. Chef's tip: let the juice settle in the fridge overnight before filtering and pour off the clear top, leaving the sediment behind.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blend 2 ¼ lb unsweetened cashew-apple pulp (polpa de caju) with 2 cups water and 1 tsp lime juice for 1 minute and pour into a tall jug. Cover and chill overnight so the solids settle to the bottom.
1 minStep 2: Carefully pour the clear top layer through a sieve lined with a wet coffee filter or two layers of muslin, leaving the thick sediment behind. Change the filter when it clogs; this can take an hour. Filter a second time if still cloudy; the juice should look clear and pale yellow.
60 minStep 3: Sterilise 4 glass bottles of 250 ml with heat-proof lids or swing tops by boiling them for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Fill the warm bottles with the clear juice to 2 cm below the top and close them. Stand them on a folded cloth in a deep pan and add hot water to reach their shoulders.
Step 5: Bring the water to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, topping up with boiling water, until the juice turns an even amber-gold, like weak tea.
110 minStep 6: Lift out the bottles and cool them upright. Chill thoroughly and serve very cold; keep in the fridge and drink within 7 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cajuína take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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