In addition to being a tasty snack and common component, nuts also have a number of health advantages when consumed in moderation. The pistachio has a long history of use in cuisine and is a key component of meals from numerous cultural backgrounds. When pistachio nuts are prepared for eating, they have rectangular, dark-green seeds that are enclosed in a cream-coloured shell. They begin as yellow or reddish fruits that ripen until the pistachio shells naturally split along a seam, exposing the seed inside. They grow in bunches on trees. Pistachios can then be shaken off the branches and caught on a tarp to harvest the crop of nuts. Commercially, pistachios can be purchased either in the shell or shelled.
History of pistachios
One of the oldest flowering nut trees, pistachios are native to Central Asia, Western Asia, and the ancient Middle East, this includes modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria. Pistachio cultivation finally reached Italy from the Mediterranean later. Pistachios were well-known and traded all over Europe by the early sixth century. Pistachio trees were spread to the United States' warm regions in the 1800s, including California and Texas. Iran, the US, China, Turkey, and Syria are currently the top pistachio producers.
Uses of pistachios
1. Salads
Salads frequently include shelled pistachios (chopped or whole) sprinkled on top. To make a creamy salad dressing, pistachios can also be puréed and combined with oil and herbs. Pistachios add a great texture to the salads and the overall taste of salads just reaches a notch higher.
2. Snack
Perhaps the most typical method to enjoy pistachios is simply, either raw or roasted. They are crunchy, tasty and very easy to eat. Simply remove the shell if you are eating shelled pistachios and you are good to go. Pistachios can be found in the shell or shelled in food stores.
3. Bread dough
Bread dough can be thickened and given more protein by adding ground pistachios. Not just that, it also brings a nice flavour to the bread dough as well as other nutrients and essentials alongside protein as mentioned before.
4. Sauces
Pistachios are a versatile ingredient. They can be used in almost all dishes, even sauces. Popular bases for sauces and dips, such as pistachio-yoghurt sauce, include ground pistachios. They make the sauces tastier and healthier.
4. Desserts
Desserts including ice cream, cake, truffles, and pastries frequently have chopped pistachios incorporated into or dusted on top. Pistachio flavouring is another widely used component in desserts. It is best known as the flavouring for pistachio ice cream, although it may be used in practically any dessert due to its versatility.
Indian Or Turkish Food, Pistachios Are A Hit All Across
1. Pistachios In Indian Cuisine
Pistachios are an integral part of Indian cuisine and no wonder they are used in a lot of dishes and desserts such as various rice kheers, biscuits, and pista barfis. Many Indian dishes are incomplete without pistachios and their inclusion only makes the dishes more royal and luxurious.
2. Pistachios In Turkish Cuisine
Pistachios are most commonly used as a flavouring and topping in Turkish recipes. For example, the traditional honey-phyllo dessert baklava is made with chopped and stacked pistachios. Pistachios enhance the taste of these recipes and they simply can’t be omitted or else the recipes will lose their authenticity and essence.
3. Pistachios In Iranian Cuisine
Pistachios are frequently used in Iranian chicken and rice recipes, but they are also frequently served as a traditional Persian snack that is roasted with saffron, lemon juice, and sea salt.
4. Pistachios In Italian Cuisine
Italian pasta dishes frequently use pistachios. The pistachios in Italian cuisine are either chopped and incorporated into the noodles or crushed and prepared into a seasoned pistachio sauce. For example, the pistachio-yoghurt sauce.