In this guide
Quick answer
Pista in English is pistachio, the green nut from the tree Pistacia vera. In Indian shops it is sold in four forms: pista in shell (pistachios in shell), pista giri (pistachio kernels), pista katran (slivered pistachios) and pishori pista (small, bright green kernels for sweets and milk masala). All four come from the same nut.
What is pista called in English, and where does the word come from?
Pista is called pistachio in English. Both words share one root: the Persian “pesteh”, which travelled into Hindi and Urdu as pista and into Greek, Latin and Italian on its way to the English pistachio. So when someone asks “pista ko English mein kya kahate hain”, the honest answer is that the two words are cousins.
The tree is native to Iran and Central Asia, and Iran, the United States and Turkey grow most of the world’s pistachios today. The Wikipedia entry on pistachio covers its history and the main growing countries.
What are the different forms of pista called?
This is where most confusion starts, because a recipe in English and a shop in India use different words for the same thing:
| Hindi / shop name | English name | What it looks like | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pista (in shell), namkeen pista | Pistachios in shell, roasted salted pistachios | Beige shell, split open, kernel inside | Snacking, guest bowls |
| Pista giri, pista kernel | Shelled pistachios, pistachio kernels | Whole green kernel with a purple-brown skin | Snacking, cooking, sweets |
| Pista katran, pista kataran | Slivered pistachios | Long, thin green slivers | Garnish on kheer, kulfi, biryani, mithai |
| Pishori pista | Peshawari pistachio, small green pistachio kernels | Small, deep green kernels | Milk masala, thandai, kulfi, colour in sweets |
| Pista powder | Ground pistachio | Green, fine to coarse powder | Milk, barfi, cake |
Pistachio in Hindi is simply pista, sometimes written pistā. In Urdu and Persian it is pesteh, in Bengali pesta, in Tamil pista paruppu, and in Gujarati and Marathi it is also pista.
What does “pista meaning” cover beyond the name?
When people search pista meaning, they are often asking what exactly the green part is. The pistachio is the seed of a small fruit. The fruit’s outer skin is removed at harvest, leaving the hard beige shell, which splits naturally as the nut ripens. Inside the shell sits the kernel, covered in a thin papery skin that ranges from purple to brown. The green colour is the kernel itself, from chlorophyll, and it is strongest in nuts harvested a little early.
That is why pishori pista is so green: these are small kernels with a deep colour, valued in sweets precisely because they look so vivid on white kulfi or rabri.
Which form of pista should you buy?
The use decides it. Here is how most kitchens split it:
- For snacking: roasted salted pistachios in shell. Shelling slows you down, which most people find useful.
- For guests and gift jars: whole pista kernels look generous and save guests the shells.
- For garnish: pista katran, already slivered, saves a sharp knife and twenty minutes before a party.
- For milk masala, thandai and kulfi: pishori pista, for its colour.
Our detailed comparison of pista kernels, katran and pishori goes further into grades. If you are building a list of all dry fruit names in both languages, our dry fruit names in English and Hindi page has the full table.
What does pista cost today?
Across the forms we keep, pista works out to at today's shop rate today. Kernels are at today's shop rate, and roasted pistachios in shell are at today's shop rate. Every grade is listed on the pista price page.
Remember when comparing that in-shell pista includes the weight of the shell, roughly half the pack. A kilo of in-shell gives you about 500 g of kernels, so the per-kilo price is not a like-for-like comparison with giri.
How should pista be stored?
Pistachios are oily and turn stale if left warm and open. Keep them in an airtight jar, away from the stove and sunlight. Kernels and katran keep three to four months in a cool cupboard and six months or more in the fridge. In-shell pista holds a little longer, because the shell protects the kernel. If a pista tastes bitter or smells like old paint, it has gone rancid.
How to add pista to a household order
Pista is rarely bought alone. A sensible monthly basket for a family of four is 500 g kaju, 500 g badam and 250 g pista kernels, with a small pack of katran before a festival. With that basket, orders start at ₹1,000 and every order ships free. Browse all forms together in our pistachio collection.
Questions people ask
Pista ko English mein kya kahate hain?
Pista ko English mein pistachio kahate hain. Shelled pista is called pistachio kernels, and kataran pista is called slivered pistachios. The plural, pistachios, is the word you will see on most packs.
What is pistachio in Hindi?
Pistachio in Hindi is pista. Shelled kernels are often called pista giri, and slivers are pista katran or kataran. The same word is used across most Indian languages with small spelling changes.
Is pista a nut or a seed?
Botanically, the pistachio is the seed of a drupe, a fruit with a stone, much like the almond. In the kitchen and on food labels it is treated as a tree nut, and people with tree-nut allergies should avoid it.
Why is some pista greener than others?
Colour depends on variety, growing conditions and how early the nut was harvested. Smaller, earlier nuts, such as pishori grades, are the greenest. Larger kernels are often more yellow-green, with no difference in taste quality.
Written at our counter, where these questions get asked every week.
