Nankhatai
Soft crumbly melt-in-the-mouth cardamom flavoured egg free shortbread like Indian cookies baked during Christmas as well.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup powdered or bura sugar icing sugar
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour besan
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 5 to 6 pods cardamom powdered
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 2/3 cup ghee or butter
- Chopped or halved pistachios or almonds for decoration
Instructions
- Put the powdered sugar all-purpose flour, chickpea flour,salt, baking powder and powdered cardamom in a large bowl and mix using your fingers. Sieve the powdered sugar and chickpea flour if necessary, first, to make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the yogurt and ghee. Knead softly by hand just till a soft dough forms. The texture should be similar to shortbread dough. Do not over knead or the cookies will not have a soft crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth texture
- Pinch off walnut-sized bits of dough and roll into smooth balls. Flatten very slightly and place on ungreased baking sheets. Press a halved (or chopped bits) of almond or pistachio in the centre of each round of dough.
- Bake the Nankhatai at 180C (350F) for about 15 minutes or so,till they start becoming a very light golden brown at the edge. Nankhatai, likeshortbread, should have a somewhat pale appearance rather than a brown colour,when they are done.
- Let them cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, thencarefully remove them to racks. Cool completely. These cookies firm up oncethey’re cool. They will be light, slightly crisp and crumbly in texture.
Notes
Other Posts In This Series :
Day #2 : Kulkuls/ Kalkals/ Kidyo (Sugar Glazed Deep-Fried Dough Curls)
Day #3 : Baath Cake/ Baatica/ Batega (Goan Coconut And Semolina Cake)
Day #4 : Avalose Unda (Cardamom Flavoured Rice Jaggery Laddoos) Avalose Podi
Day #5 : Chakli (Savoury Rice And Lentil Spirals)
Day #6 : Goan Milk Cream (A Cashew And Milk Fudge)
Day #7 : Nevries/ Nevereos/ Neurios (Half-Moon Shaped Sweet Coconut and Semolina Puffs)