My mom was an avid baker (now she prefers to buy from the local bakers, or she expects me to bake)and my dad still loves these little bites. And these were a standard cookie box staple in our house. They had to be there always. So my mom used to make a huge batch.
And way back in those days ,trans fats and margarine and dalda were ok. According to mum, the best cookies and biscuits and puff are made with these. Even better than butter. So we use a substitute. We use Desi Ghee. Brown Butter or Clarified butter.
There's always been a debate about the benefits and mal effects of Desi ghee. All I would say is , moderation is the key word.Don't sit with the cookie jar in front of you. Have one. And be happy. Share... Share the calories.
For the
NanKhatai Desi Cookies
You need
1 cup heaped or 125 gms All purpose flour or maida -remove 4 tbsp flour and replace with 2 tbsp each suji and besan
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup desi ghee or soft butter
2-3 cardamom &/ 2-3 grind nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
Sliced pista or almonds or any not to garnish
By weight , the flours, sugar and fat will be of equal quantity. You may need less or more fat according to the quality of the flour.
Nankhatai can be made only of maida Or with a combination of maida , semolina , besan . Start with Maida and move on to adding/ substituting according to tatse.
Grind the cardamom with the sugar and sift out the cardamom shell fibres.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Mix the flours ,baking powder and ground sugar. Add in the ghee.
First mix with a spoon and then lightly knead. The dough should come together. If its losing shape-add a little more flour. And if its crumbling, add a little ghee/ milk or sprinkle some water.
This is what good dough should look like.
So now make the NanKhatai.
Make small balls. Flatten and press pista on top. Place at a distance from each other and chill 10 minutes. Bake till the bottom is colored... 12-14 minutes. The second batch bakes faster. 10 minutes.
Remove onto wire rack and cool before serving. Keeps for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
They should be brought out of the oven when they are soft. Over baking will make them rock hard and they don't become soft even when dunked in hot tea.
Yup, much to the disgust of hubby dear , I love dunking my cookies or biscuits into my tea. Its desi , but I'll do it. You know you have this facade of elitist elegance in front of people....
And then you just go and blow it up when your cookie falls into the hot tea. And then another cookie is dunked to save the first.Aw, You do it too....Admit it.
And then fall for the aromas... aromas of cardamom and ginger wafting through the corridors...
So what are you baking today???
