Nankhatai are short bread cookies having it’s origin in India. Naankhatai word has origins words like Naan (bread) and Khatai (biscuit) from Persian words apparently. Personally Naankhatai has been something we bought from local bakeries when in India. They have a particular round shape with a depression in center usually filled with dry fruits. There are different versions of Nankhatai that can be seen to be available in markets and one of the best accompaniments to afternoon Chai.

Original recipe of these short bread cookies is from a YouTube channel called Sonal ki Rasoi. Though I must say after trying it twice in my oven it required much lesser baking time. So please be careful when you follow any baking recipes and modify it according to your oven. I have had one batch of cookies previously with questionable dark bottom almost tasting delicious burnt. That recipe works wonderfully flavor wise, but after going through some more recipes and wanting to try some more flavors. I ended up trying the following recipe in this format. I must say it looks beautiful and tastes wonderful.

In this version of the recipe I have added pistachio powder, saffron flavor and edible flowers called Blåkint or cornflowers in English.  I also added baking powder and baking soda to the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whole purpose flour or Wheat flour
• 1/2 cup besan / chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup semolina/ sooji
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable ghee
• 3 tsp pistachio powder
• 1 tsp of cardamom powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of baking soda
• pinch of baking powder
• 1 tsp of saffron syrup ( optional )
• Blåkint or Cornflowers

Method

First take a bowl and sieve add all the dry ingredients in it. This will include whole purpose flour, chickpea flour, semolina, salt, pistachio powder, cardamom powder, baking powder and baking soda.

Add vegetable ghee and saffron syrup. Don’t add any other oil or water. Carefully mix the dry and wet ingredients to form a dough.

Now make small balls out of the dough and press them to form circular shaped cookies. Place blåkint using a forceps or directly by using fingers.

I added pistachio powder in the little depressions as well.

It took me more than 15- 20 minutes to complete all the cookies. I was adding some yellow petals of another edible flowers, but decided to not continue as there were not giving me a beautiful contrast that I wished.

While I was shaping my short bread cookies, I also preheated the oven at 180 degrees. Once the tray was ready, I baked them for 10 minutes at 180 degrees on fan mode. You will get the amazing aroma around 8 miutes, keep a watchful eye. If they appear darker than you wish, immediately remove them. Don’t eat immediately but let it cool for 30 minutes

* Update* : Tried same recipe with Wheat flour used usually for Roti and it still tastes good!