The pistachio (pih-STAH-shee-oh), a member of the cashew family, is a
small tree originating from an area that includes Afghanistan, Central
Asia, and Iran. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as
food. The kernels are often eaten whole, either fresh or roasted and
salted, and are also used in pistachio ice cream, kulfi, spumoni,
pistachio butter, pistachio paste, and confections such as baklava,
pistachio chocolate, pistachio halva, pistachio lokum or biscotti, and
cold cuts such as mortadella. Americans make pistachio salad, which
includes fresh pistachios or pistachio pudding, whipped cream, and
canned fruit. Indian cooking uses pounded pistachios with grilled meats,
and in pilao rice dishes.
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