NANKHATAI

My mother used to make this often when we were kids. . Somehow it's popularity got lost in the midst of  cakes.I don't make cookies and my daughter always insists that I make them. Recently my friend offered nankhattais for tea ,at her house. She makes them often . I got this recipe from her. My daughter was really impressed with these cookies. She calls them ,"Indian Cookies".This is the only cookie recipe you will need.

INGREDIENTS 

1. 1-1/2 cup atta(I used chappathi flour)
2. 1/4 cup besan ( helps to bind the dough , if not using besan use the same amount of atta)
3. 3/4 cup butter
4. 1/4 cup hot water
5. 1/2 tsp salt
6. 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, powdered (1/2 cup if you want less sweetness, but sugar cannot be reduced more)
7. 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

METHOD 

• Mix the different flours together and keep aside. 
• Melt the butter in a microwave. The butter just needs to be soft.  Microwave on power 2 for 2 minutes. (In a 1000 W oven). The time also depends on the type of butter used. Some butters need less time to soften. Also, weather has a lot of impact on the melting time for butter. Less time during summers and more during winters. 

• Into the softened butter, add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder. Swirl the beater around without turning them on, so that the powdered sugar is lightly mixed into the butter. As you do this, gradually add the hot water mixed with salt. Then beat the butter-sugar mixture on high speed, for at least 2 minutes until you get a buttercream consistency. 

             

              

                         

• After that add the flour in batches and beat until the dough comes together. Don't overmix it. This just needs to come together, after that it can be done by hand.

                                           

        

        

       

• The dough will be sticky and cannot be rolled, put the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes. The dough should be manageable now.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350℉ for 15 minutes.
• Place a tray on the table. Sit down with the bowl of dough and using your hand roll the dough into ball. The dough will be sticky, but when rolled it will become a smooth ball. 

• As soon as you place the tray in the oven, reduce the heat to 250 ℉.Bake for 1 hour. You will also get the cardamom aroma when the cookies are done. The balls will flatten into round discs. It will be soft in the center but will harden as it sits. Makes 20-24 nankhattais.

                                          

 

• The store bought nankhatttais are powderier. I think it gets that texture as it sits for a number of days in the package or in the jar in the bakery. So, to mimic that, I powdered 2 nankhattais and mixed a few of the cookies with the powder. Didn't get the exact texture as the store-bought ones, but good enough.
  
  
  
  

NOTES

• Tried pre-heating at 350℉ and then baking at 300℉ for 45 minutes, but that was too much time and temperature. 
• The 350℉ initial temperature is required to give the dough an extra lift as soon as it is kept in the oven and the reducing it to 250℉ makes sure that the middle of the cookie cooks well and does not remain soft. This was the right temperature. 
• Just roll the nankhattais into balls. No need to flatten it. It will slightly flatten out after baking.
• For a crispier nankhattai, add 1/8 tsp plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Decrease the water by 1 Tbsp. 
• For converting to chocolate chip cookie:

1. 1-1/2 cup atta (I used chappathi flour)
2. 1/4 cup besan (helps to bind the dough, if not using besan use the same amount of atta)
3. 3/4 cup butter
4. 1/4 cup water
5. 3/4 tsp salt
6. 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, powdered (1/2 cup if you want less sweetness, but sugar cannot be reduced more)
7. 2 tsp vanilla essence
8.  1/4 tsp baking soda
9. 1 tsp lemon juice