SW — Scorched wholes

What SW is

SW stands for "Scorched Wholes" — whole cashew kernels that picked up light brown scorching marks during processing. The scorching happens during the steaming step (when shell-softening at 100°C causes the kernel to caramelize slightly) or during over-drying. Functionally these are the same nut as W320 or W400; visually they fail the "white whole" specification and trade at a discount.

The smarter buy

For applications where the kernel doesn't need to look pristine — cooking, baking, sweets, sauces, anywhere the kernel is chopped, ground, coated, or combined — SW delivers the same nutritional and culinary value as W320 at roughly a 30% discount. Indian sweet makers (kaju katli, kaju barfi, kaju roll manufacturers) buy SW preferentially because the slight scorch adds depth to the finished sweet.

Best uses

• Indian sweets — kaju katli, kaju barfi, kaju roll, kaju pak — primary use globally
• Indian curries and gravies — kaju curry, korma, makhani gravy bases
• Baked goods — cashew cookies, cashew cakes, kaju cake
• Mixed-nut trail mixes (where colour variation is acceptable)
• Cashew-based confectionery — chikki, brittle, halwa
• Roasted-and-salted SKUs aimed at value-conscious retail

SW vs LWP — when wholeness matters

When the application calls for visible kernel halves (kaju katli, curries), SW is the right choice over LWP (Large White Pieces). When the kernel gets pulverized (cashew butter, cashew flour), LWP is cheaper. Many Indian sweet manufacturers run a permanent SW contract because no piece grade can replace the structural integrity of a whole kernel in a katli slice.