Pistachios

[vhilts]

I love pistachios but just can't get into Californian as they have no taste compared to Iranian.

Any suggested sources for Iranian pistachios? I know about Turkish which are good but still not the same as Iranian. Roasted and salted is what I'm looking for.

I heard even though the US embargo on Iranian products was lifted 4 or 5 years ago, the tariff remains on pistachios for one and thus make them very difficult/expensive to get in the US.

[Daniel Rogov]

I cannot speak to the American scene but as a possibly amusing side-story, although the importation into Israel of absoultely anything from Iran is banned, the vast majority of pistachio nuts available from Haifa to Eilat and from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem are smuggled happily into the country for our munching pleasure.

Our walnuts do indeed come primarily from California. Let it be stated only that pistachio nuts (fistook halabi) are far more popular!!!!

Edited July 17, 2005 by Daniel Rogov (log)

[Almass]

I cannot speak to the American scene but as a possibly amusing side-story, although the importation into Israel of absoultely anything from Iran is banned, the vast majority of pistachio nuts available from Haifa to Eilat and from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem are smuggled happily into the country for our munching pleasure.

Our walnuts do indeed come primarily from California.  Let it be stated only that pistachio nuts (fistook halabi) are far more popular!!!!

←

For the record, "Fistook Halabi" are definitely not from Iran but simply from Aleppo in Syria and of course they are the best.

[Daniel Rogov]

Almass, Hello.....

My experise in the Arabic language and its various dialects is far from high but I do believe that "fistook halabi" (sometimes transliterated as "fistok") is the generic name in Arabic for "pistachio nuts" regardless of from where they come. If anyone can expound further on this, I would be much appreciative.

Edited July 17, 2005 by Daniel Rogov (log)

[Almass]

Almass, Hello.....

My experise in the Arabic language and its various dialects is far from high but I do believe that "fistook halabi" is the generic name in Arabic for "pistachio nuts" regardless of from where they come. If anyone can expound further on this, I would be much appreciative.

←

Hummm, You have "Fistook Halabi" which is refered to in agriculture as Red Aleppo.

"Fistook Irani" or "Fistook Ajami" is the name for Iranian Pistachios.

According to FAO statistics Syria is classified as the fourth Pistachio nut producing country in the world after Iran, U.S.A. and Turkey.

Pistachio nut has been grown in Syria for centuries. There are some trees aging more than 500 years in Ain-El-Thainah. Traditionally, Aleppo which is in the northern part of Syria, is the main pistachio growing area. They are different from the Iranian variety and they are thought to be much better in texture and taste.

Incidentally, in few weeks it will be time to eat the Green Aleppian Pistachios which in fact are red on the outer skin. A rare delicacy.

[Pan]

I've never had Syrian pistachios. They shouldn't be hard to find in New York, but I've never seen them. I'd love to know where I could get them. Does any store on Atlantic Av. carry them, for example?

Almass, I will confirm that I had no trouble getting Iranian pistachios during a relative warming of U.S.-Iranian relations during the Clinton Administration and have found it much harder to find them in the last few years. As a lover of Iranian pistachios, I think that's very unfortunate. One of the folks at my local Bangladeshi spices and sundries store explained that it's hard to get Iranian pistachios because Iranian planes are not authorized to land in the U.S., so he has to get them reshipped from Canada.

[Almass]

Unfortunately. I cannot help you as to where you can get Aleppo Pistachio in New York or anywhere else in the US.

As for the difference between Iranian Pistachios and Aleppo Pistachio. This is a taste, texture, shape and color difference. As an analogy, we are talking about Foie Gras d'Oie and Foie Gras de Canard.

It is generally accepted that the Aleppo Pistachio are indeed better.

How would you recognize Aleppo Pistachio v Iranian Pistachio?

The Aleppo Pistachio are more elongated and not as open as the others, they are more green on the inside and are very crisp and crunchy, but it is really the taste that differentiate them.

To be able to appreciate and recognize the real taste of pistachios, you have to eat Green Pistachio. Direct from the tree, you peel out the soft red skin and prize open the shell to get to the nut. It is a rare delicacy and will allow you to appreciate the fresh unaldurated taste of Pistachio.

These Pistachios are available around August and the way to prepare is to put them in jute canvas bags and get the kids walk over the bags to dissociate the red skin from the hulk. The bag are open and the skins discarded and the Pistachios are washed in water and then transferred to a salt bath to soak. The saltiness of the water is dependant on the taste of whomever is preparing but a 50/50 is generally acceptable. Coarse salt should be used as Aleppian Pistachio when salted have these salt cristals attached to the nut and reflect nicely under the light and provide the sharp taste of salt and the sweetness of the fruit.

The Pistachio are lifted from the salted water and spread under the August sun on clean bed sheets out in the open whether on houses roofs or patio gardens.

Eating the wet Pistachio in salted water is another intermediate step for this delicacy which can only be tried at preparation stage and can never be sold commercially.

When the hot dry sun would have dried the Pistachios, they are collected and placed in glass bottles to limit exposure to air and they are corked.

And this is the way to prepare and enjoy Aleppo Pistachios.

The Iranian/Turkish/US Pistachios are way too over salted to guarantee a longer shelf life and of course result in affecting and hiding the taste of Pistachios.

You want to enjoy Pistachios bought from your friendly shop, this is what you do if you cannot find the taste or if they are too salty.

Wash your Pistachios under cold water, put in a canvas/cotton/laundry bag and make sure the bag is very tight around the Pistachio. Now don't laugh but go to the garden and hold the bag from one end and use your arm as a propeller to shake excess water, alternatively, you can place in your washing machine on short spin cycle.

Take the Pistachios out of the bag and place in a big hot pan, sprinkle salt very lightly again and toast the Pistachios untill the smell and aroma fills the kitchen. The hard shell will be charred and black in certain areas.

Lift and let the Pistachios cool.

Open, eat and enjoy

Next post we talk about green wet walnuts.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Almass (log)

[vhilts]

Don't want to grow 'em, don't want to dry 'em, don't want to brine 'em...

just want to buy roasted and salted Iranian pistachios in the US and eat 'em!

who do I call?

virg

[Pan]

Almass, just a quick point:

As of about a year or two ago, I used to buy raw, unsalted Iranian pistachios in bulk at Kalustyan's and roast them without salt in the oven. They also sold and may still sell roasted, unsalted Iranian pistachios in bags, but their quality was way inferior to the ones they used to sell in bulk. Anyway, these things would seem to show that Iranian pistachios, or at least many of them, do not arrive in the US already salted.

[Almass]

Almass, just a quick point:

As of about a year or two ago, I used to buy raw, unsalted Iranian pistachios in bulk at Kalustyan's and roast them without salt in the oven. They also sold and may still sell roasted, unsalted Iranian pistachios in bags, but their quality was way inferior to the ones they used to sell in bulk. Anyway, these things would seem to show that Iranian pistachios, or at least many of them, do not arrive in the US already salted.

←

I suppose that this might very well be the case and they are importing unsalted Pistachios for maybe two reasons:

1- Catering trade.

2- Save on freight weight of salt????does it make any commercial sense?

Only comment about roasting in the oven without salt is, depending on your oven, would be the introduction of humidity in the Pistachio which is detrimental to the taste and crunshiness. Try roasting on open fire with the addition of some salt , maybe you will see a difference that you will like.

Don't forget that the addition of salt in the pan is more to absorb humidity that to coat and salt the Pistachios.

[Arghavan]

It is generally accepted that the Aleppo Pistachio are indeed better.

←

When you say generally accepted can you please cite your sources, since in my experience most people regard Iranian pistachios as the best ( and yes I have had them fresh and roasted by my grandmother )

[Macarons&Mozart]

The only pistachios that I am familiar with are California pistachios. I must set out to buy some Middle Eastern ones.

What do people here think of Sicilian pistachios? They are highly prized by cooks for their brilliant and deep green color.

[Pan]

Almass, I happen to dislike salt on nuts, period, and always get unsalted nuts. I also think that unsalted nuts, if roasted well, do end up dry and have a good texture. I'll consider pan-roasting on the stovetop, though.

[lapasterie]

I just bought 22# of unsalted shelled Iranian pistachios from :

Kadouri International Foods

234 Starr St

Brooklyn, NY 11237

718.381.6100

They cost $6.35/lb plus shipping