Cashew Shoots (Pucuk Gajus)

The cashew tree originated from Brazil, was brought over by the Portuguese immigrants to Malaysia. Its botanical name is anacardium occidentale. It’s a low shady tree about 15 meters high which is normally planted at the sides of padi fields for shade. The bark gives out the a type of sap that gives a burning sensation to the skin where it touches. The fruit shaped like a pear with its kidney shaped seed on the outside.


The locals normally eat the young shoots with sambal belacan or cencaluk as an ulam. My wife showed me this tree when we were working in Cherating, I have never seen this tree or fruit. The only cashew nut I’ve seen came out from a tin.

Health Benefits

The young cashew shoots when eaten raw as ulam is believed to prevent and control diabetes. The Malaysian Forest Research Institute has done research to prove this point. The young shoots contain anti oxide properties that can neutralize and fight toxins in the body. From a research done by the Institute of Bioscience in the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the other benefit of cashew shoots is that it lowers the sign of aging.

Health Benefits of eating Ulam-Ulaman