Nankhatai (Indian Shortbread Cookies)
Nankhatai
If you are looking for a delicious evening snack to go with your Indian Chai or hot coffee, then this Nankhatai recipe is for you! These are easy to store, quick to make and will finish in a flash even if you aren't hungry πNankhatai is like Indian version of shortbread cookie and popular in northern India. There is no single recipe for it. You can easily change the proportion of the flours used, add your favorite toppings and still get super scrumptious cookies every time!We promise this will be ready in under 30 minutes and probably finished in one-third of the time π
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour or Maida
- 1/2 cup Gram flour or Besan
- 1/4 cup Fine Semolina or Suuji
- 1/2 cup Fine White Sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Cardamom seeds (Optional, but highly recommended for amazing taste)
- 3/4 cup Melted Ghee at room temperature this gives a sweet aroma to the cookies
- 1/2 cup Almonds or Pistachio or Cashews (Optional, but highly recommended. You can also grate all these together and mix)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together
- Add melted ghee ( at room temperature) to the bowl. Mix with spoon or hands to form a dough. Do not knead it, it should come together enough to form a small ball.(If you add too much ghee, keep it aside or add more semolina so it soaks up the ghee)
- Divide the dough into equal parts to form cookie balls. Press a piece of Pistachio/Almond/Cashew in the middle to slightly flatten the ball. I made 16 cookies, slightly big and chunky.
- Pop these in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until they are slightly brown on top. After you take the tray out, do not move the cookies around as they will be delicate when hot.
- Leave them to rest for another 10 minutes, until they cool down and you can pick them up
- That's it! Enjoy the cookies with a hot cup of team or coffee π
Notes
- If you do not have oven, you can make these in pressure cooker. Fill 1 inch of cooker base with salt and place a stand or a ring which can hold cookies on the top. Place the cookies in a plate and then on top of the stand. Remove the gasket and close the lid or just keep something to cover the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly brown.
- You can change the proportion of flours as you like it, you can make these with just Gram flour or just all purpose flours if you wish. The baking time will differ based on ingredients.
Soumya
May 28, 2020 at 9:50 amThis looks so easy and delicious at the same time.π€© Everyone in my family including my 3 year old loved it. π€©Thankyou for sharing the recipe. ππ»
Swetha
May 28, 2020 at 9:56 amWow !!! The recipe looks easy enough and love the nutrition labels!!! Well done Bhanu looks very professional!!!! π
Kanu
May 29, 2020 at 2:43 amReminds me of childhood days!!! Such an easy recipe for amazing snack.