Soak cashews properly (How-to)

Finally there is once again a HOW TO and today it is solely about my favorite nuts, cashews! Honestly, I don’t even know how I could survive without my beloved Cashews could survive. They are just so beautifully versatile, whether it’s sweet or savory dishes. Especially dips, sauce, cream and frostings become simply wonderful with it. However, the question of soaking always arises. What is the best way to soak the cashews? In cold or warm water? Do I need to soak them at all and for how long anyway? Questions about questions, which I answer all in this amount for you. Let’s go !

Like are cashews healthy?

Before we get into the question of soaking, we first wanted to take a quick look at cashews and their ingredients. If you occasionally snack on a handful of the nuts on the couch, then at first you do not suspect that they grow on a tree. But in fact, the cashew nut grows in tropical trees and is the fruit of the cashew apple. The cashew nut alone tastes nutty and mild with a slight, pleasant sweetness. Overall, it tastes much more neutral than many other types of nuts and is therefore very well suited for use in sweet, as well as in savory dishes . But versatility is not all that the nut has to offer, because it is full of healthy vital and nutritious substances:

B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9), important for nerves, concentration and energy
Tryptophan, an amino acid from the messenger substance serotonin is produced. Has an antidepressant effect, mood-lifting and relaxing. Especially interesting for people with sleep problems, due to its sleep-inducing properties (note: there is hardly any other food in which the proportion of tryptophan is so high)
High quality vegetable protein (18 grams per 100g cashews)
Rich in magnesium and phosphorus, important for bone and enzyme activity
High content of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids , can have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. and the regulation of cholesterol levels affect
Iron, important part of hemoglobin, elementary component of red blood cells

Soak cashews, why?

Before we start the question of soaking, the first question that arises is whether or not the you have to soak them at all. The answer is clearly no! However soaking has two very decisive advantages:

The nuts soften and are easier to process , especially if the blender is not very powerful. I use a high-powered blender, which I can use to blend cashews even without a Soaking can process very finely. I have linked my model below (advertising because of product mention, but bought myself )
Soaking decomposes anti-nutrients, all first of all phytic acid. It inhibits the absorption of vitamins and proteins and prevents the absorption of valuable minerals from nuts, Seeds, cereal grains and legumes. The soaking process increases the content of phytic acid is degraded.

Note: In small amounts, phytic acid is said to cause a have antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects on the human body. It can only become dangerous if you consume high amounts of it. Lasse In case of doubt, consult a trained nutritionist or a doctor. advise

Soak cashews properly

Per depending on how much time I have, I use different soaking methods, that have worked well for me.

LONG-SOAK METHOD (duration 6 hours): Soak cashews in enough cold water and cover. Do not skimp on water, rule of thumb is double the amount of water. After 6 hours or overnight, drain, rinse with plenty of cold water and process. *Pour away soaking water and do not process further

QUICK SOAK METHOD**(takes 60 minutes): Place cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour plenty of boiling hot water over them. DO NOT COVER and leave to infuse for one hour. Drain, rinse with plenty of cold water and process. *Pour away soaking water and do not process further

SUPER-QUICK-SOAK METHOD**(5 MINUTES): If you really don’t have any time at all, put cashews in a saucepan, fill generously with water and bring to a boil. Turn off shortly after boiling point, (ideally leave to infuse for 5 minutes), drain and rinse with plenty of cold water and process. *Pour away soaking water and do not process further

** Unfortunately, I do not have data on the decomposition of phytic acid in the Quick-Soak methods. Most likely, the acid will not decompose until a longer soaking time.

Honestly, I don’t think my blog could exist without cashews. I have already made so many Recipes made with it.