Unblemished, large, plump, dark-green nuts are the best quality. Buy them from a reliable shop with a high turnover to ensure that they are not rancid or artificially dyed.

You'll find plain, roasted and salted pistachios on the market.

Store pistachios in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh for several months.

Pistachios can be briefly dipped in boiling water before cooking to remove their skin and reveal their bright colour before use. 

Roasted and salted nuts are used as a snack.

Plain, unsalted pistachios are widely used in Middle Eastern, Indian and Italian dishes such as pilafs, pâtés, charcuterie, poultry sauces, stuffings, cakes, ice creams, pastries, puddings and confectionery.

Middle East
Middle Easterners eat the most: they use them in baking and pastries but you'll also find a bowl of pistachios in every Middle Eastern home for nibbling at any time of the day.