Suresh Hinduja is another one of my foodie friends, a food designer and CEO of http://www.gourmetindia.com/ India's portal on food and drink. The fabulously creative Suresh has been kind enough to create a dish especially for this competition. Try this lovely Dish - Fishta (Pista encrusted Fish with shallot lime emulsion and baby potatoes spiked with cumin seeds).
Fishta Ingredients
150 grams fish fillet
A pinch of turmeric A pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Pistachio flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsps finely chopped shallot/spring onion greens
1 cup boiled baby potatoes
1 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
Chili flakes

Method Rub the turmeric and salt into the fish fillet and apply the oil then leave for 1 minute. Bake in a medium hot oven and apply/press the pista flakes onto fish when the fish turns opaque and switch off the oven (approx 15 minutes). Whisk together the shallots with olive oil and lime juice and salt for 1 minute and reserve. Sauté the potatoes with cumin seeds in little oil for 3 minutes and reserve. To serve, sprinkle bedgi (mild) chili flakes on to the plate, spread the shallot emulsion in the center of the plate. Remove the fish from the oven and place over it. Surround with potatoes and serve.

Pia Promina

I met Pia via the fabulous network that foodies around the world manage to forge just by being foodies. Over the years she has been a source of amazing food, food conversations and support. Here she shares a fusion recipe for Pistachio Paturi which blends the traditional with a new unique twist!


Pistachio Paturi:

Inngredients

I kg Rawas fillet, carefully boned, left whole
200g pistachio ground to a slightly gritty paste with water
100 g poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) round to a fine paste with
2 red Kashmiri chillies.
A bunch of fresh dill
6-8 green chillies-split half way down vertically.
Salt to taste
200 g ghee
2 large Banana leaves.
Strong twine
½ +1/2 tbsp salt

Prep:

1. Grind Pistachio to a slightly gritty paste with along with 1/2tsp salt and as much water as required to make a “spreadable” paste

2. Grind the poppy seeds along with ½ tsp salt and the red chillies to a very fine paste using as much water as required to make a "spreadable" paste.

3. Steam the banana leave to make them plaiable. Alternately, microwave the leaves for 3 mins on high. Leaves must be left whole. Cool enough to handle the leaves.

4. On a flat surface lay out one leaf and grease generously with ghee.

5. Lay down the fish fillet on the leaf. Spread the poppyseed mixture over the fish.

6. Pile on the pistachio paste on the poppy seed paste.

7. Sprinkle the dill generously on the fish and place the green chillies over it.

8. Melt 100g ghee. Pour over fish.

9. Make a parcel of the fish with the banana leaf. Wrap another banana leaf over the parcel.

10. Heat a skillet /tava hot . add 2tbs ghee.
11. Place the banana leaf on the tava. Pour some ghee over it. Let it cook till the underside is charred. Turn over very carefully, pour over the rest of the ghee and let the underside char. It should take approximately 30 mins to cook the fish.

12. Place on a serving dish cut the twine and expose the fillet.
Serve immediately with rice.

To give this dish a Parisian twist, use extra Virgin Olive Oil in place of ghee.

Pia Promina - The Chef
The daughter of Kolkata’s most legendary chef, Kewpie, Pia Promina’s love for good food was nourished very early in life, surrounded as she was by generations of cooks past. Naturally, she opted for O level cookery as her special subject in school and it came as no surprise when she topped the exam. She eagerly went on to earn her degree in Foods & Nutrition at the Maharaja Sayajirao University.It was Pia who authenticated the recipes for her mother’s best-selling cookbook, “Bangla Ranna.” She has always found time to be an integral part of Kewpie’s Kitchen; the country's most celebrated Bengali restaurant that boasts of recipes more than a 100 years old!Pia will dexterously turn out melt in the mouth bread rolls, succulent roast turkey, tempting vegetables, nectarous desserts and the most delicious spicy crabs this side of the Suez, as effortlessly as she stirs up an incomparable fish curry. Her creative adaptation to healthy, light cooking techniques is a mark of her genius, for Pia's curiosity and willingness to experiment demonstrate all the confidence of a gourmet chef. And her uncomplicated approach to ingredients and effortless ten-minute prep has earned the eternal gratitude of countless amateur cooks.

Around the World in One Nut

One of the oldest flowering nut trees, Pistachios began their journey around the world from the Middle East thousands of years ago spreading to the Mediterranean. Rich in nutrients and resilient, pistachios became an essential travel food for explorers and traders who carried it to China and the New World (California is one of the world’s largest Pistachio producers). It’s no wonder then that Pistachios have been incorporated into almost all of the world’s cuisines. Take Pistachio Mexican Cakes for example. Little buttery cookies that appeared during the Cold War when serving Russian tea cakes became a faux pas. Or the many versions of pistachio chicken in Chinese cuisine. Or varieties of iconic French crème brulee which incorporate pistachio as paste, crushed or as topping. Pistachio trees have also become emblematic of Sicily. The proof is in their most cherished pastry, the cannoli siciliani which often includes pistachios in the filling. Pistachios feature in Moroccan cuisine as well appearing in everything from Moroccan rice pudding to couscous.
Pistachios are most prevalent in the cuisines of Turkey and Greece. Both countries call this treasured nut by similar names Fistikli and Fistikia. And both lay claim to that delectable pistachio pastry Baklava, a filo pastry stuffed with crushed pistachios. (Baklava is also served in Afghanistan where the pastry is lightly covered with crushed pistachio nuts.) They have other pistachio pastries as well. Fistik ezmesi is a marzipan like pastry made of ground pistachio. The Turkish also make Fistikli Kebab, a succulent combination of minced meat and pistachios. Roasted and salted pistachios are the standard snack in Greek homes. The Greek island of Aegina is particularly famous for its pistachio nuts. The Greek Fistikia Aiginis or Yogurt Cake with nuts is a veritable feast for all pistachio lovers. An egg-rich cake made from self-rising flour, semolina, pistachios, brandy and lemon juice, this cake is wonderful with tea or coffee.
With all the countries that now cherish pistachios, these nuts are the perfect remedy for the next time you feel wanderlust. Indulge and let your taste buds travel a little.

Honey Mustard Pistachios for TV time

So I have been going on about the health benifits of Pistas. But thats not all thats great about them, Pistachios rule in the realm of flavor as well! Multifaceted (literally - Pistachios come in colours ranging from blushing pink to bright green), these nuts can enhance any dish to which they are added. Abandon the sports bar peanuts and serve pistachios with drinks. Garnish amuse bouche and hors d’oeuvres with these visually resplendent nuts. Add chrushed pistas or pista paste to sauces, to add depth to your dishes.

Pistachios complement an astounding variety of meats – chicken to rabbit to pigeon to shrimps (tried and tasted). Vegetarians should note Pistachios are an excellent source of vegetable protein. Add them to your salads, stir fries or sauté with vegetables and fruit as they are good source of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats which reduce blood cholesterol levels when they replace saturated fats in your diet.

Here is a great recipe from the California Pistachio board.

Honey Mustard Pistachios
Preparation Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking time: 20 - 25 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 bag California In Shell Pistachios
1/3 cup raw sugar

Instructions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, combine honey, mustard and cayenne pepper. Over medium heat, cook mixture for 5 minutes; stirring often. Add pistachios; stir to coat well. In a large bowl, place raw sugar. Add coated pistachios and stir to coat well. Evenly spread pistachios over baking sheets. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely (pistachios will harden as they cool). Store in a loosely covered container for up to two weeks.
Makes 12 servings.

Pistachios are good for Women's health

We've already established that pistachios are the perfect party snack – for adults and children both! (not to mention half your work being done already is an added boon!).

The great thing about Pistas, however, is that unlike a lot of other snacks that could benefit the family but be detrimental to us as women, Pistas are also good for us women.

I found this out from experience this Diwali. Having lost quite a lot of weight recently I was pretty worried about how I would get through Diwali. God knows that the festive season is fraught with danger for anyone controlling their diet, what with all the parties, festive food, running around, maids not turning up and all. It is easy to just grab whatever comes your way when you are starving. But I found a way around it. I had bowls of Pistas scattered all over the house and reached for them first. I even took to tucking some into my purse, to nibble on when there were no healthy options on offer. Those worked beautifully as a snack when we got caught in traffic en route to somewhere. I didn't arrive starved enough to scarf down the first thing that came my way!

They are an excellent source of dietary fiber (which means you will feel full faster). Get this, a single snack of pistachios can provide 3 grams of dietary fibre, which is about 12% of the recommended daily value and equivalent to the same amount as in a serving of oatmeal!

Pistachios are also the richest source of potassium of all the nut family. The potassium content of one ounce of pistachios is equal to that of one orange, a whopping 310 mg! (Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for your good health. Sufficient intake helps protect you against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It helps keep your muscles strong (including the most important muscle, your heart), helps control blood pressure and regulate the water balance in your cells, keeps nerve impulses sharp, releases energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism and works to eliminate irritability, confusion and stress.

Pistachios are rich in phosphorus, which is necessary for hormone production and balance to help the body use B vitamins. Low phosphorus can also cause glucose intolerance, so eating pistachios may help reduce the risk of developing adult-onset diabetes. Pistachios also provide 135 mg of calcium per 1-cup serving, which makes it a viable source for Calcium (in comparison, cooked chawli leaves provide 138 mg and edamame or boiled green soybeans provide 131 mg). Besides these, pistachios are packed copper, phosphorus, over 30 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Add to that the fact that they are also rich in plant sterols or phytosterols which lower the absorption of dietary cholesterol from other foods and you realize that you may be able to feast without fasting!

And here's the best bit for last. Pistachios are not called the Skinny nuts in vain, an appetite suppressing compound called oleoylethanolamide was recently discovered in monounsaturated FAT and 55% of the fat in pistachios is monounsaturated fat!

Wedding season is round the corner and this year will be extra special because my little sister gets married this December! I want to be extra careful and I have this to say, from the heart... Ladies if you intend to look fabulous outfit after outfit (and ensure that your lady friends do), add pistachios into your menu! Because it is not just about looking good, it is also about us being the cornerstone of our families. Our health will mean we have healthy happy families.

Plus they're great for a midnight gossip! Cracking pistachio shells transforms from a tedious task to one of shared activity which punctuates conversation. Whether you’re the bride, the mother or sister of the bride, the hostess or the guest, the best friend or roommate, the girlfriend, expecting mother, exhausted mother, the sister, the working girl, make a little room for pistachios in your life. With its health benefits, versatility and good looks, Pistachios just have too much going for themselves to ignore! Like us!

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares a recipe for California Pista Pasta

Sanjeev Kapoor probably needs little introduction. He is perhaps the most recognised face of Indian cuisine today. Chef Extraordinaire, TV show host, author of best selling cookbooks, restaurant consultant and winner of several culinary awards are just some of the many hats he has worn in the span of his illustrious career. But for me, he will always be the soft spoken smiling gentleman chef that I learnt so much from watching on TV every afternoon growing up. So it was an honour to visit his office and meet him in person recently. Here he suggests a delicious California Pista Pasta that will be ideal to rustle up on days when you are to tired to cook a whole meal during the festive season! The colors certainly make it perfect for a clebration!

As with most chefs, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is also a big fan of Pistachios "I love pistas for their versatility, and the natural green colour they impart to dishes that specifically need to be green, like the tricolour specials for Independence and Republic Day!" I use Pistachios to garnish sweets and savouries, cook with pistachios to make mithais and meat dishes, and use their healthy goodness as any time snacking treat!"

CALIFORNIA PISTACHIO PASTA SALAD
(Pasta and pista in a colourful cheesy salad)

Ingredients
Pistachios, coarsely chopped ¼ cup
Pasta, blanched 1 cup
Snow peas, blanched and broken 10-12
Tomatoes, chopped 2 medium
Baby spinach 6-8 leaves
Parmesan cheese shavings ½ cup
Salad dressing
Olive oil 3 tablespoons
Balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
Dried oregano a pinch
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder ¼ teaspoon

Method
Mix all the ingredients of the salad dressing together. Add the blanched pasta to the dressing. Add snow peas, tomatoes and mix. Add baby spinach leaves and mix. Add coarsely chopped pistachios and mix well.
Finally add Parmesan cheese shavings and toss. Serve hot or cold.

Pistachios, deliciously whole!

At first when I re-discovered pistachios, I was impressed by all that I could do with them. I planned experimental recipes for everything from amuse bouche, salads, curries, and stir fries to desserts. But when I got down to actually preparing to cooking with them, I ran into a wall.

Pistachios need to be shelled. A slow nail breaking job!

And I concluded that the a reason there aren’t that many traditional recipes for Pistachios around is because harvesting enough shelled Pistas for any dish was probably a losing battle for cooks throughout history! Even if one managed to protect the precious booty from invasive hands ready to swipe a few conveniently shelled nuts, who would have protected them from the cooks themselves!

On a more serious note, though, for many centuries nomadic tribes that inhabit remote inhospitable areas where wild Pistachios grow, have fought over the right to harvest the nuts which were an important component of migratory diet in the winter when food was scarce. Pista in their whole form were probably easy to store or transport and effortless to eat even when one was on the go. Eating them whole is the most common form of consumption for Pistachios in a lot of cultures even today.

To come back to present times in the Ghildiyal home, I stopped fighting the losing battle against protecting my tediously shelled pistachios when I realised that the entire family was opting for Pistachios over less healthy choices.

Having chosen to be a hands-on mother who works from home, I work 9-5 and switch to being mom after 5 most days. ALOT has to be achieved in the 8 hour work window I have so those hours are extremely intense, requiring me to multi-task between writing, cooking and running a company. It often leaves me too fatigued by snack time. Which is a worry because that 5-6 slot is when all of us are at our hungriest and if I am not vigilant with myself, I end up opting for the convenience of opening up a packet of something. That has changed however, ever since I discovered that both, Aman, my 7 year old, always hungry son and Natasha, my almost 2 year old wants-to-eat-everything-herself – but-can’t-quite-manage daughter both took to Pistachios like little stars I began buying serving them Pistachios.

What a Eureka moment! (Moms out there will attest to how tough it is to have our kids eat something healthy over fried or packaged junk food!) So most evenings now, my kids and I (and their dad when he manages to get home in time) dig into a bowl of Pistachios at teatime; Aman loves the excitement of cracking open the shells and it is ADORABLE to watch how sweetly he shells them for his little sister. And Natasha tweeks my heartstrings with her triumphant smiles every time she manages to get a spoon with perfectly balanced pista into her mouth! And inside me, sneaky mom that I have become, I cannot help but rejoice at all the good stuff I have managed to sneak into their tummies! (Being one of the most nutrient dense nuts they provide vitamin B6, copper, manganese, protein, dietary fiber, thiamin, and phosphorus!).

I have even begun to pack small sachets into my husbands tiffin, so he can have them as an evening snack in lieu of the vada paavs, samosas, chaat and other rubbish he was forced to eat at his canteen before. And while we’re on the topic of husbands, ladies, let me tell you, a bowl of pistas makes a great addition to the rare quiet times we get together. Amidst the crazy pace of juggling two careers and bringing up two children in a city like Mumbai, we often have to carve out time late at night or early in the morning when. If the kids are asleep, the simple activity of shelling pistachio nuts for one another while we watch a late night movie, catch up on each other’s lives or listen to great songs on the radio in the morning mellows the pace of things and adds to the intimacy of the moment and can lead to other things.. if you know what I mean J.
One of the best things by far about Pistachios is that they are one of the most fuss free, guilt free snack options, just open up a packet (or two or three), empty into bowls, serve and watch them disappear feeling like the most intelligent woman in the world for sneaking so much goodness into your family’s diet!

Pistas by nature go rancid quickly and I couldn’t find really good stuff anywhere so pernickety as I am, I sourced quality raw pistachios from Crawford Market and roasted them myself, packing individual servings into zip lock bags for use through the week. Then when I began to look around to find out what other stuff was available around town that had pistachio in it, I came across a brand of ready roasted and Salted Pistachios. Called Wonderful Pistachios, they more than live up to their name, coated in just the right degree of salt, and roasted to perfection they make a satisfying salty snack or treat at any time of day.

GYAN and LINKS
Tried and tested – serve pistachios with freshly brewed tea (orange pekoe if you have some) the citrusy notes complement the Pistas beautifully. Surprise him with a chilled bottle of beer instead of tea on his customary cup of tea or coffee, when he gets home, accompanied by a bowl of roasted, salted Pistas and your undivided attention!
Wonderful Pistachios are ready to eat and come in 2 flavours roasted-salted and salt and pepper. They are available in 3 sizes 250g, 100g, and a very convenient 20g sachet that I are ideal tiffin stuffers! Oh and there is a lovely Diwali combo pack on offer at a special price that I highly recommend you add to your Diwali hampers! (Available at Nature’s Basket outlets all over Mumbai.)

Announcing the A Perfect Bite Pistachio Recipe contest!

A Perfect Bite is introducing a new section - Incredible Ingredient. It's pretty normal around our parts to be so enamored of an ingredient that we explore every aspect of it. In the past we have adored anise (star), flirted with figs, and continue to be seduced by citrus so now we are going to blog about specific ingredients. This time around the Incredible Ingredient in focus is The Pistachio!

Off late, my family is gleefully telling the world that I have gone nuts!

And I can’t blame them, because I have!
I have been more that a little obsessed with nuts of late. It is the right time of the year for it, after all, with the festive season on us, there will definitely be a surfeit of nuts and it seemed prudent to plan ahead on using them.

But, I digress, to be accurate it is one nut in particular that has me obsessed. I am passionate about pistachios currently. New research has already established that nuts are beneficial to one’s health. But I recently found out although like most nuts, pistachios are extremely good sources of protein and fiber, they have an advantage over their nutty buddies. At approximately 49 kernels per ounce, pistachios offer the most nuts per 160-calorie serving – comparatively almonds offer only have 23, cashews, 18 and walnuts, 7. Pistas are also the lowest in calories and fat and highest in fibre. One single ounce of pistachio provides 3 grams of fiber, (thats equivalent to approximately as much fibre as 1 serving of oatmeal and twice the fiber of walnuts).

I'd never really given Pistas (as we call them in India) much thought, beyond popping a couple in the mouth when presented or as an opulent garnish over festive dishes. So I was pretty flummoxed to discover a big bag of them had mysteriously snuck into my freezer. I couldn't think of a single thing to do with them (which is probably why they'd snuck to the bottom of the drawer in the first place), so I did what any curious cook does these days, I googled! And it turned out to be an an absolute journey of discovery!

But what really tipped me in favour of Pistachios was discovering that they are my route to having my proverbial cake and eating it too, this Diwali!

Diwali, being the largest festival in India offers one the classic excuse to indulge. How many times have we given in to that urge to indulfe in an extra serving of pulav because the curry is so good, or just one more irrisitible sweet or brushed off our resolution to diet since it is Diwali... Rich feasts of festive delicacies make it easy to be tempted. But Pistas, meet all the criterion of festive food with all their health benefits and their vibrant colours ( I am especially enamored of California Pistachios for their green and purple colour and their quality and taste) and instantly add oomph to any dish. Their health benifits also make them the perfect addition to my festive table for a little guilt free sinning! So enamored have I become of these ‘Skinny nuts’ that not only have I decided to gift Pistchios to my friends and family this festive season, but I am going to blog about them, my discoveries, experiences and favourite recipes, AND host the biggest ever recipe competition for them on A perfect bite throughout October!

So without further ado let me present The 1st A Perfect Bite Recipe Contest.
Send A Perfect Bite an original Pistachio recipe (it could be sweet, savoury, for any course from starters to dessert and even beverages and cocktails (ensure it is your original recipe not copied) with the story of how it was created and an accompanying photograph.
Email recipes with “A Perfect Bite – Pistachio recipe contest’ along with your mailing address and contact details because every entry will get a participation gift! at a.perfect.bite@gmail.com or post them on your blog and send us the link. Email us at a.perfect.bite@gmail.com with any questions you might have. The deadline is 05th November 2009. Winners will be announced by 15th Nov 2009. Three winning entries will get Hampers of Pistachio goodies such as Wonderful Pistachios, Turkish Baklava, Pistachio Mortadella and a few other surprises! (1st prize – Pistachio hamper valued at 2500, 2nd prize – Pistachio Hamper valued at Rs. 1500 and 3rd prize – Hamper valued at Rs. 1000. (All prizes to be picked up from Mumbai.) If winner is not a citizen of Mumbai, we will substitute the prize hamper with a book of the same value.
The rules

The recipes should be your own original recipes. A story of how the recipe was created is mandatory. Please keep in mind that we do need to be able to get the ingredients where we are to test recipes. (Email us at a.perfect.bite@gmail.com to check if you want to double check).