Chilgoza

The chilgoza forests of Kinnaur are communally held — families have gathering rights passed down through generations, and the harvest is a village-wide event each autumn.

Cones are knocked down, roasted to open, then the seeds cracked by hand. There is no machine for this that doesn't ruin the nut.

• Wild-harvested from Himalayan pine, not farmed
• Two-year cones — one harvest a year, and only in a good year
• Hand-cracked, sorted, and sealed once you order

Eat them as they are — this is what most people in Kinnaur do.

Lightly dry-roast for a minute to bring the oils forward.

Crushed over a pulao, a halwa, or into a chutney.

In Kinnaur, chilgoza is winter energy food — small, dense, and gathered right before the passes close.

Like all pine nuts, it's naturally rich in healthy fats and plant protein. It's eaten in small quantities, which is just as well given the price.

These are general facts about this food, not tested claims about this specific batch. We'd rather tell you what we know than invent numbers.