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During Diwali, the grandest festival celebrated in India, people send boxes of nut selections across the country as gifts. All these nuts are plump and glossy, and they’re meant to be enjoyed during the holiday season. An Indian kitchen, however, requires a variety of nuts that need to blended to a paste, and it would be sacrilege to use those fat beauties in a curry base! Instead, you’ll want to visit an Indian grocery store for cheaper versions of nuts that will add texture and thickness.

Because nuts kept for too long can go stale, it’s a good idea to buy small quantities. Also, unless you’re specifically buying them to blend, buy whole nuts — they’ll keep longer, and you can slice or chop them for garnishes as you need.

Here are the nuts you’ll want to have on hand:

 Almonds: Buy whole almonds to slice as a garnish for desserts and rice dishes. You can use ground almonds to thicken some curries.

 Cashews: Look for packs of broken cashews that can be blended to a paste and added to curry bases. Halved cashews are good for adding texture to vegetable dishes or chopped up as a garnish over curries and desserts.

 Peanuts: Although technically not nuts (they’re legume), peanuts are the most popular nut in western Indian kitchens. Roasted, salted peanuts are good lightly crushed as a garnish for salads and curries. You can also blend them to a paste to thicken curry sauces.

 Pistachios: You’ll need a few of these, shelled, to garnish Indian desserts. The green color is a beautiful pop over cream and fruit.

 Walnuts: Walnuts aren’t often used in curry sauces because they can add a bitter note. Use them chopped for garnishes or in salads.