Kasuy
Also known as: Cashew (English name) · Kasoy (alternate Tagalog spelling) · Balikadjem (name used in Sulu)
Definition
Kasuy is the Filipino term for the cashew (Anacardium occidentale), a tropical evergreen tree in the family Anacardioideae that yields both the familiar curved cashew nut and the fleshy cashew apple. The tree can reach about 14 meters and thrives in well-drained tropical lowlands. In the Philippines, kasuy is a signature crop of Palawan, which leads national production, and its roasted nuts, brittle candies, and pastries are among the country’s most popular pasalubong items. (Wikipedia)
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Cashew |
| Wikidata | Q34007 |
| DBpedia | Cashew |
| ProductOntology | N/A |
| Wiktionary | cashew |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | Cashew |
| MeSH | N/A |
| NCBI Taxonomy | Anacardium occidentale |
| AGROVOC | cashew |
| Google Scholar | cashew Anacardium occidentale Palawan Philippines production processing |
| ConceptNet | cashew |
| OpenCyc | N/A |
Also Known As
- Cashew (English name)
- Kasoy (alternate Tagalog spelling)
- Balikadjem (name used in Sulu)
Examples and Analogies
- Two Harvests in One Tree: The farmer gets a juicy, pear-like false fruit and, hanging beneath it, the true prize — the kidney-shaped nut inside a double shell.
- The Palawan Pili: Where Bicol has the pili nut, Palawan answers with kasuy, both regional nuts roasted, candied, and packed into airport gift boxes.
Usage Scenarios
1. Community Processing Enterprise in Palawan
A farmers’ cooperative buys raw nuts from member growers, operates a common roasting and packing facility, and sells kasuy brittle and roasted nuts to tourist outlets.
2. Cashew Apple Utilization
A small processor ferments or candies the perishable cashew apple to reduce waste, since the fruit spoils within days if left on the ground.
Strategies
- Sun-dry and store nuts at safe moisture levels before shelling to prevent aflatoxin contamination and rancidity.
- Develop cashew apple by-products such as juice, wine, and fruit bars to add income beyond the nut crop.
Security and Safety Measures
- Never shell cashews with bare hands or roast them in unventilated spaces; the shell liquid between the two seed coats is caustic and causes skin burns and lung irritation.
- Verify that purchased nuts are properly sealed and dry, since cashews are prone to mold toxins when stored in humidity.
Historical Context
Cashew is native to northeastern Brazil and was carried by Portuguese and Spanish navigators to India, Southeast Asia, and Africa within decades of the sixteenth-century spice trade. In the Philippines it naturalized in dry coastal areas, with Palawan’s climate proving ideal, and by the twentieth century the kasuy had become a fixture of Filipino snack culture — roasted with salt, glazed into brittle, or folded into pastries sold in provincial gift shops. (Wikipedia)
Challenges and Controversies
Labor-Intensive Processing
Hand-shelling remains common, exposing workers to caustic cashew nut shell liquid unless protective equipment and proper drying are enforced.
Perishable Cashew Apple Waste
Enormous volumes of the apple are discarded each season for lack of processing capacity, a recurring loss that cooperatives and food technologists continue to address.
Related Topic
Pili Nut