Although I am the first food writer in my family, I am not the first lover of food.

When I was a little girl, my father maintained a delicious international routine. He traveled frequently to Asia, working for a non-profit organization that specialized in agricultural development.

In those days, he never flew straight between the United States and Asia. Airplanes were unable to hold the amount of fuel they can today, so a stopover somewhere in between was mandatory.

Moreover, his boss, wisely in my opinion, felt that asking my father to sit for 10 hours or more on an airplane reduced his value as an employee, rendering him stiff and groggy and not at his best. He was therefore encouraged to make a couple of stops along the way.

The first stop going from the U.S. to Asia (or second when returning) was usually in Europe or Great Britain. There he networked with colleagues and stocked up on delicious treats like French cheese and Scottish smoked salmon.

His other stop was invariably in Teheran, Iran. Before the 1979 revolution, that country was friendlier to Americans than it is today. In Teheran he always purchased an enormous tin of caviar. He also acquired a large bag of pistachio nuts.

My mother and other adults “oohed” and “aahed” over the caviar. Small child that I was, I did not crave those fish eggs. I did adore the pistachio nuts, however.

Every evening, I would reach into the bag, grab a handful, and start shelling and nibbling. I cannot imagine that the grownups found their caviar any more satisfying than I did those salty, flavorful nuts.

Although I knew little about nutrition in those days, I was convinced that the nuts must be very healthy to eat. When my family adopted a kitten who turned out to be sick, the only food she found appealing was a pistachio nut. She felt better soon thereafter, and we named her Pistachio.

I had forgotten all about these youthful experiences until a few weeks ago when my friend Peter brought some pistachios to my house. As I shelled and munched on them, all my love came back in a rush of taste and memory.

I no longer take foods for granted as I did in my youth, so I immediately took to the internet to do a little research about pistachios and found the website of the American Pistachio Growers. I learned that I was not the only one cut off from pistachios after the Iranian Revolution.

This mainly Iranian crop was suddenly unavailable in the United States, thanks to an embargo on goods from Iran. Happily, American farmers took up the task of supplying the demand for the nuts.

It turns out that I was right about the nutritional properties of these tasty nuts, according to the association’s resident nutritionist, Amber Wilson. She informed me that pistachios have many important nutrients — and a recent Cornell University study found that they are also high in antioxidants.

“In fact,” she wrote in an email, “the antioxidants in pistachios actually rival that of foods that are commonly thought of as high in antioxidants, like blueberries, pomegranates and red wine.”

Like most people, I knew that antioxidants are good for us, but I wasn’t sure precisely why. I asked Amber.

“Free radical damage is unavoidable,” she replied. “It can happen from things like digesting food, exercising and exposure to UV light. This damage can lead to premature aging and chronic disease. Antioxidants from food can help the body to fight against free radical damage.”

As if that weren’t enough, she informed me, pistachios are also a source of complete protein, something important in these days when so many people are turning to plant-based foods.

“Additionally, pistachios are a good source of fiber and a serving of pistachios is 49 nuts for only 160 calories,” she told me.

I immediately ordered some pistachios to have at my disposal. I munched and munched. I also decided I should try cooking with these nuts. The APG has a number of recipes on its website, including one for Kung Pao Chicken that uses pistachios for crunch instead of peanuts.

I didn’t have the ingredients for that dish in the house — but I did have the ingredients for my own version of Kung Pao. I therefore adapted that recipe to use pistachio nuts, and it appears below.

I have just ordered some spicy pre-shelled pistachios from a company called Amazing Pistachios. I plan to try the recipe with them soon and leave out the hot peppers.

Slightly Spicy Stir Fry with Pistachio Nuts

Ingredients for the marinade:

4 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari

4 teaspoons dry sherry

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil, plus more oil later for cooking

Ingredients for the meat:

2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks (you may also use about ¾ pound beef; in that case, you may want to marinate it for an hour or two longer in the refrigerator)

Ingredients for cooking spice:

20 red chili pods, or red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup shelled pistachio nuts

Ingredients for the seasonings:

6 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch (a little more if you like your sauce thick), mixed in a little water to form a paste

Ingredients for the vegetables:

4 scallions (mostly white part), minced, or ½ cup chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, finely minced

2 to 3 cups other vegetables, chopped and blanched (asparagus, carrots, broccoli, etc.) or, if they cook quickly (like bok choi, bell pepper, zucchini, snow peas, or kale) just chopped raw. I always end up with extra veggies in my stir fry because I love them.

Ingredients for finishing:

½ teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons hot chili oil

Instructions:

Combine the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces to them and let the mixture sit for a few minutes. Assemble the seasonings in another bowl.

Add a splash of oil to a wok or frying pan over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and stir, heating until the pieces of chicken cook through.

Remove the chicken from the pan and pop in the chilis and nuts. Cook for a minute or so until the chilis brown but don’t burn. Remove this mixture from the heat and add it to the chicken.

Add a little more oil to the cooking pan and stir in the vegetables. Stir fry for two to three minutes. Return the chicken mixture to the pan and add the seasoning mixture. Cook until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the sesame and chili oils. Serve over rice. Serves four to six, depending on how hungry your guests are and how many vegetables you use.

Tinky Weisblat is an award-winning author and singer. Her latest book is “Pot Luck: Random Acts of Cooking.” Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.

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