Broken grades work perfectly for all five of these, since everything gets blended, ground or chopped. That makes them a good deal cheaper than using whole kernels.
1. Cashew milk
Soak 100g of cashews in water for four hours, drain, then blend with one litre of fresh water until completely smooth. No straining needed — cashews break down more finely than almonds. Add a pinch of salt and a date or two if you want it sweetened. Keeps three days refrigerated; shake before use.
2. No-cook cashew cream sauce
Blend 150g of soaked cashews with 200ml water, a clove of garlic, lemon juice and salt. It thickens as it sits and works as a pasta sauce, a dip, or a dairy-free replacement for cream in gravies. Thin it with a splash of water when reheating.
3. Kaju katli
Grind 200g of cashews to a fine powder — pulse rather than run the blender continuously, or the oils release and it turns to paste. Make a one-string sugar syrup with 100g sugar and 50ml water, fold in the powder, cook until it leaves the pan, then roll between sheets of parchment and cut into diamonds.
4. Masala cashews
Toss 200g of cashews with a teaspoon of oil, half a teaspoon each of red chilli powder and chaat masala, and a pinch of turmeric. Roast at 160°C for 12–15 minutes, shaking the tray halfway. Cool completely before storing — they crisp up as they cool, not in the oven.
5. Cashew butter
Roast 300g of cashews at 160°C for 10 minutes, then blend. It will look like crumbs, then a stiff paste, then suddenly turn smooth — that takes 8 to 10 minutes in most home blenders, so keep going and scrape down the sides. Salt to taste.
Which grade to buy
For all of these, broken grades give you identical results at a lower cost. Save whole W240 or W320 kernels for dishes where the cashew stays visible — pulao, garnishes, gifting boxes.