Craving salty-sweet treats? Try these 3 flavourful pistachio recipes

Put a unique spin on your regular sweet dishes with the help of pistachios' salty edge. Here are some recipes you can try.

Pistachio has a rich, nutty flavour that adds a flavourful depth to any dish, especially for sweets. The green nuts not only lend your dish a distinctive colour, but their signature buttery taste will leave you impressed with your own culinary skills when you try pistachio-based recipes. The savoury undertones are perfect just when you are craving some treats that capture the salty-sweet balance. They can easily transform your regular recipes into something unique with their subtle sweet and savoury taste. This weekend, find the middle ground of sweet and savoury with pistachio-based recipes. 

Pistachio has a sweet and savoury flavour.(Shutterstock)

Chefs Shivesh Bhatia and Sanjeev Kapoor, on behalf of American Pistachio Growers, shared three unique recipes that you can try this weekend:

1. Pistachio Churros

Recipe by Chef Shivesh Bhatia

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Sunflower oil, for frying

For the coating

• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon powder

For the pistachio paste

• 1 cup pistachios
• 1 + 1/2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

Instructions:

• Add the water, sugar and butter to a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Once the water has boiled, turn off the heat and add flour. Stir in the flour till it forms a dough.
• Place the pan on the heat again and cook the dough till it becomes shiny and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Let the dough cool a little, and add in the egg and vanilla. Mix till the egg is well incorporated.
• Add the dough to a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the churros in hot oil.
• Let the churros become golden brown and crispy. Once done, drain them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
• Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon powder together and coat the churros in the mixture.
• For the pistachio paste, add the pistachios, oil and sugar to a blender and blitz till it forms a smooth paste.
• With a metal straw, make holes in the centre of the churros and fill them with the pistachio paste. Serve hot with more pistachio paste.

2. Pick Me Up Pista Bomb

Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

The pick me up balls are packed with crunchy flavours.(PC: American pistachios )

Ingredients:

• 1 cup American pistachios
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats, toasted
• 1 cup puffed amaranth (rajgira)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder

Instructions:

• Dry roast American pistachios for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Switch the heat off and allow it to cool slightly.
• Put the roasted pistachios in a food processor jar and process to a coarse mixture.
• Heat a non-stick pan. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and cook till the sugar melts.
• Add rolled oats, puffed amaranth, and coarsely processed pistachios. Add honey and cinnamon powder and mix till well combined. Transfer onto a plate and allow to cool slightly.
• Take small portions of the mixture with greased hands and roll each portion into a ball. Serve.

3. Khasta Pepper Pista

Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

This can be taken as a tasty snack.(PC: American pistachios)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups American pistachios
• 1 tbsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp citric acid powder
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Black salt to taste
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

• Combine black pepper powder, salt, citric acid powder, castor sugar, black salt and roasted cumin powder in a bowl.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the American pistachios and sauté for 3-4 minutes or till well roasted. Take the pan off the heat.
• Transfer the roasted American pistachios in a large bowl. Add 2-3 tsps prepared spice mix and toss till well combined. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Store in an airtight container and serve as required.