With vacation nearing I am really into baking mood and yesterday it was turn of popular Indian version of cookies "Nankhatais". If you want to know the origin of these cookies please read here.  I am huge fan of these cookies, but mom was not aware of baking those days and hence never made them at home. So then we would turn over to nearby bakeries to purchase them. For now they bring back fond memories of the childhood days when buying such goodies meant going to neighborhood bakeries and my eyes feasting on display of variety, not able to decide which flavoured cookie should I pick up, jumping from one end to other end of the display, pointing at different shapes, colors and asking my dad to pick most of them :P. The cookies would make the whole shop filled with fresh baked aroma and refreshing flavours. 

When hubby brought a box of  cookies the other day, they reminded of my fav nankhatais. I craved them terribly and so yesterday decided to try my hands at them. I have tweaked the recipe from Foodelicious by Pari . Now why did I try this recipe its because Pari has included oil. Mostly traditional nankhatais make use of ghee/butter. So let's see the recipe




Ingredients

1 cup maida / APF
8-10 tbsp oil [ Adjust depending on the quality of flour that you are using]
1 tbsp ghee [ optional ingredient, I used to grease my palm while making the balls]
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/8 tsp of soda bicarbonate
1/8 tsp of cardamom powder
1/8 tsp of nutmeg powder
Silvered almonds and coarsely chopped pista for garnish



Method:

Take a deep bowl and place maida, powdered sugar, soda bicarbonate, pinch of salt. Mix it well with a spatula. Add in half of the oil and mix the dry ingredients. You will have a crumbly texture. Continue adding oil until you can make a soft dough which can retain its shape. [Add oil gradually and the quantity may depend on the quality of flour that you have used]. Now you can mix in cardamom powder, nutmeg powder together or individually by dividing the dough into two. Rest the dough for 15-20 mins. Divide the dough into equal proportions and roll each proportion into a smooth round ball. Place each of them under your cupped palm and press the ball to flatten them a little. Place them apart on a baking dish lined with parchment paper and press the silvered almonds and pistas on each disc [as seen in the below pic].



Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 for 5-10 mins. Once you observe light cracks on the biscuit while baking, continue baking for another 1-2 mins. Remove them out and place them on a cooling rack. 

Once cool store them in air tight containers or place them in gift boxes to gift to your loved ones!

sending this entry to Paris' ONLY tried tasted from foodelicious and Bake fest May 2014, brainchild of Vardhini ... and to Harini's space for her 1st anniversary.




Happy baking!