Dried nuts and fruits, with their unique flavors and easily accessible nature, are a must-have of get-togethers in Turkiye as between meals, even after iftar, there is no better snack to offer guests
Nuts, fruits or seeds are dried under direct sunlight, or roasted with sugar, salt and spices added on top to put some flavor from time to time, that’s how you get dried nuts and fruits, and they have a special place in the daily lives of Turkish people. Even during Ramadan, during the evenings,after iftar, or at night we love our dried delights.
Nuts have many benefits not only in terms of flavor and aroma but also in terms of heart health. The high amount of unsaturated fatty acids found in nuts is one of the main reasons they are beneficial for the health of your heart.
Due to its location, Turkiye has a favorable climate for many fruit species and is among the world’s leading producers of dried nuts, with more than 20 varieties it produces. The most produced are hazelnuts, pistachios, roasted chickpeas, dried apricots and raisins. These products are exported to nearly 70 countries.
Turkiye is a country with high consumption of nuts, and has a wide variety of nuts and advanced production techniques. The main types of nuts consumed include sunflower seeds, salted peanuts, unsalted peanuts, white roasted chickpeas, yellow roasted chickpeas, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, corn with sauce, peanuts with sauce and pumpkin seeds.
Nuts have also traditionally taken place in Turkish cuisine as complementary flavors and condiments.
Hazelnut
It is stated in historical documents that hazelnuts were produced 2,300 years ago on the Black Sea coast in the north of Turkiye. It is known that hazelnuts have been exported from Turkiye to other countries for the last six centuries. Being one of the few countries with suitable weather conditions for hazelnut production, Turkiye realizes 75% of world production and 70 to 75% of its exports. Hazelnuts are one of the hard-shelled fruits widely cultivated in the world. Hazelnut production is more common in cities in the Black Sea region, such as Ordu, Giresun and Trabzon.
Pistachio
The homeland of the pistachio tree is the Middle East and Central Asia. Archaeological evidence shows that pistachios were consumed as far back as around 6,750 B.C. It is one of the best quality and most grown nuts grown in Turkiye. The most common use of pistachios is a salty snack, a type of fruit liked and enjoyed by everyone. Pistachio is a sought-after snack in the ice cream, pastry and chocolate industry. Turkish pistachios are famous in terms of their color and taste.
Almond
Almond cultivation has an important place in the world’s shell fruit production. Almond was first grown in Iran, Turkiye, Syria and Palestine, and from there, it was taken to Greece, North Africa, Italy and Spain, and later to North America. According to the taste of the almond plant, there are two types – sweet and bitter seed. However, there are also mid-range almonds that fall between sweet and bitter almonds. Edible sweet almond seeds are used in the preparation of various foods, in the production of almond oil and almond flour, and are consumed as a snack. Bitter almonds are poisonous because they contain cyanide. These almonds are used as additives and fragrances in the cosmetic industry.
Roasted chickpeas
A popular kind of dried nut is produced by roasting chickpeas. The most well-known types are white roasted chickpeas and yellow roasted chickpeas. Geographically, the first roasted chickpea was made in Tavşanlı, but the first registered roasted chickpea is from Çorum. Recently, different kinds of roasted chickpeas have also entered the discussions and menus.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are the fruits of sunflower plants. Since they contain a high amount of oil, they are widely used in oil production. As a snack, they can be served to consumers in lightly roasted form, with salty, unsalted, peppery, or all kinds of sauces. Bakery products made with sunflower seeds are also available.
Dried apricots
There are 8 million apricot trees in Malatya, home of the most apricot production in Turkiye. As such, Malatya is also called “the apricot capital of the world.” In addition, Malatya’s apricots have a geographical registration by the European Union.
Raisins
Looking at the world grape markets, it is seen that China and then Turkiye are the two leading grape producers. The Aegean region comes first in producing grapes and dried grapes in Turkiye. More than 50% of the country’s output is met from this region. Manisa province alone meets 90% of Turkiye’s dried grape production.