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Suco de caju
Suco de caju: tangy, slightly astringent juice of the cashew apple, the fruit that grows above the cashew nut
Everyone in Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte has a cashew tree nearby, and in the season, roughly September to December, the fleshy yellow and red cashew apples hang heavily above the nuts. Their juice is the region's everyday drink: pale, cloudy, sweet-tart and faintly astringent, it leaves a slight dryness in the mouth that people love with fried fish or a plate of baião de dois. Fresh cashew apples rarely travel, so outside Brazil use frozen cashew-apple pulp (polpa de caju) from Brazilian shops. This is the fruit, not the nut, but anyone with a cashew allergy should still avoid it. Over-sweetening to hide the astringency is a common mistake, as the juice turns syrupy. Chef's tip: a few drops of lime and plenty of ice soften the dryness far better than extra sugar.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz frozen cashew-apple pulp (polpa de caju), 3 cups cold water and 3 tbsp sugar in a blender and blend for 1 minute, until smooth and frothy.
1 minStep 2: Strain through a sieve if using fresh fruit, pressing on the fibres; frozen pulp can be served unstrained.
Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp lime juice, taste and add a little more sugar only if needed.
Step 4: Serve at once over 8 ice cubes; the juice separates if it stands, so stir before pouring.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does suco de caju take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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