Chironji

Chironji, also called charoli or almondette, is the edible seed of Buchanania lanzan, a deciduous tree in the family Anacardiaceae despite its nut-like common names, native to the Indian subcontinent, South Central China and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Nepal. In India, Chhattisgarh is the highest-producing state, with potential annual production of about 5,000 metric tonnes. The seeds, which resemble pine nuts in texture and taste of almond or pistachio, function as a cooking spice in Indian cuisine, commonly used in sweets or ground into powders to thicken and flavor savory sauces, batters and kormas, with toasting intensifying their flavor before cooking.