Afghan Pine Nut Kernels (Chilgoza Maghz)

Afghan Pine Nut Kernels are long ivory seeds with a soft, almost waxy bite and a buttery flavour carrying a faint pine resin note behind the sweetness. They are longer and more slender than the stubby Mediterranean pine nut used in Italian pesto, and the resin edge is stronger, which is exactly what chilgoza is loved for.

These are the shelled kernels, wild-harvested from chilgoza pines in Afghanistan's high mountains and hand-shelled, so there is no cracking to do and no waste weight. If you prefer to crack them yourself and eat them the traditional way around a winter fire, see our Afghan Pine Nuts in Shell listing instead.

How to use them

Scatter them over Kabuli pulao, qabili and zereshk polo, or fold them into stuffings for dolma and kibbeh. They are essential in baklava and other syrup pastries, and they enrich halwa, sheer payra and rice puddings. For everyday cooking, blend them into pesto, toss them through roasted vegetables and grain salads, or eat them plain. Technique tip: toast them dry in a pan over low heat and keep them moving, because their oil content means they go from pale to burnt in well under a minute.

Details

Also known as

Chilgoza, Chilghoza, Chilgoza Kernels, Pine Nut Kernels, Shelled Pine Nuts, Maghz-e-Chilgoza, مغز چلغوزه (Dari), چلغوزه مغز (Pashto), صنوبر أفغاني (Arabic), चिलगोज़ा गिरी (Hindi), Afgan Cam Fistigi (Turkish), Pignons de pin afghans (French), 阿富汗松子仁 (Chinese), Афганские кедровые орешки (Russian)