Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

Digha-Contai Cashew Nut (Kaju)

Raw cashew nuts grown on the saline coastal soil of the Digha-Contai littoral, where Digha is described as a land of cashew nut trees and even has a Cashew Garden showcasing the trees. Cashew cropping is one of the traditional livelihoods of the Contai sub-division, where cashew processing and fishing are the main industries, and local firms (e.g. HCP Cashew Processing) process and export the crop. Tourists commonly buy hand-picked raw cashew from the town on the way home as the classic Digha takeaway. The nuts can be eaten raw, fried or roasted at home.

Typical price: ₹100-900

Buying tip: Buy raw (unroasted) cashew by weight in Digha or Contai and check that the kernels are dry, whole and unbroken; coastal prices are far lower than city prices, so buy in bulk as the raw nut stores well.