Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Recreation of a Childhood Favorite...

One of the biggest thrills I get from food blogging is the rediscovery of long-forgotten childhood favorites...I am sure a lot of us have these memories of foods tasted long ago, which we cherish for many years, either because of the unique nature/taste of that food or because of an event or circumstance associated with that food...I have such memories associated with an Indian cookie called "Nankhatai" because a lady, one of our neighbors, while we lived in Bombay, India(back when I was a kid), would bake it often and pass it onto us. At that time, we did not own an oven(baking was not a very commonly used cooking technique back then, for us)...so it was enthralling to taste home-baked goodies, hot off the oven. Plus, it was some cookie...light and crisp, almost airy and not overly sweet with a hint of nuts and cardamom...I truly loved it and I relished it many times back then...in fact, we shamelessly encouraged our neighbor aunty to make it more often!!!

After, we left Bombay and moved to Calcutta, it was forgotten and I probably never tasted it again..we had an oven at home then, still....until recently, when I was so thrilled to find recipes for it in various food websites. I was amazed to find the variety of ways to prepare this cookie...some recipes had all APFlour..some had a combination of APF and semolina flour and yet others had a combination of APF, semolina and chickpea flour...whew!!!

So, what is this "Nankhatai"? It is a shortbread-like cookie flavored with cardamom or nutmeg, a medley of nuts and was originally prepared using eggs and flour by the Parsi population in India, though later on Indian Hindus popularised an eggless version. I found a detailed video on the vahrevah blog with many interesting variations on the recipe which is what I followed, though I did make some changes to it, notably by reducing the quantity of sugar needed and ended up with a crunchy, mildly-sweet yet flavorful end-product...just like I remembered it!!! Here is to finding many more forgotten food faves...I know my family enthusiastically agrees with that thought...:))

Here is an interesting(read, detailed:)) history of this famous Nankhatai on the indiacurry website...in case you would like to know more about this delicacy(I did and I found more than I ever expected to know:)) This lovely, forgotten favorite goes to Priya's CWS - Cardamom Seeds event.

Recipe for Nankhatai:
Prep/cook time: 20- 25 mins.
servings: 14-16 pieces
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
1/4 cup fine sooji or semolina
1/2 cup gram flour (besan)(optional) if used, increase sugar to 2/3 cup
Pinch of baking soda (a little less than 1/8 teaspoon)
1/2tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon green cardamom seeds coarsely powdered (ilaichi)
crushed pistachio, almonds for topping
few saffron strands
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1tsp yoghurt
Note: all ethnic ingredients are available at Asian/Indian grocery stores

Method:
preheat oven to 325 f

mix dry ingredients separately

mix wet ingredients well together

combine both...make soft dough ball...put in fridge for few mins...then shape into discs...press the mixture of almond-pistachio on each cookie

bake for 15 mins...will appear soft when removed from oven then will crisp up.

31 comments:

  1. Scrumptious Indian cookies, just love this fabulous nankhatai..thanks for sending Meena..

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  2. Delicious tempting looking nankattais. Love to have them as a tea time snack

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  3. Can I grab a few??? :-) Lovely tea time snack item.
    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  4. Nankatai looks yummy, love these cookies...

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  5. Cookies looks so good...nicely clicked too..

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  6. Cookies looks great dear very flavour rich cookie..

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  7. hmm nice ...
    Can I add your blog to my blogroll. :)

    Kavitha
    http://thedabbaexpress.blogspot.com/

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  8. This is one of my favorite too :)

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  9. Ohh wow looks inviting cookies..comeout perfect Meena!

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  10. Meena,

    Nankhatai looks really crispy and yummy.

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  11. I love them..and they look so yumm, Meena..

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  12. Crispy and delicious nankhatai..

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  13. Good one Meena, a surely childhood favorite :)

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  14. i too use to love these but its been a while since i tasted it..looks so perfect

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  15. Hi Meena,

    u made this so special by adding pistachios... crispy too..great! readymade naankhatai are without nuts..

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  16. I love recreating food that has recipes attached to it. These cookies look fantastic! I love that they are flavored with cardamom...what a great spice!

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  17. They looks delicious and I love about anything with cardamom and pistachios also. I'd like to have one now!

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  18. Wowww... simply superb.. thanks for sharing dear!!

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  19. Cookies looks great dear...nice crispy and tasty...I would love to have them for an evening snack with tea :)

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  20. Wanted a good recipe for our indian cookies.I've bookmarked urs.Thx for sharing it.

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  21. What a fun story. I'm sure you really liked that neighbor. She probably really liked making these yummy cookies for you too.

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  22. Hi Meena! hru doing dearie??? Wow, this is really new dish to me! Pass me some pls...wanna try...hehe ;)

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  23. Perfect Crispy Indian Cookies,Love it
    Drop in sometime to my blog

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  24. this reminds me of my childhood too... Indian cookies is what it's called. Looks great.

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  25. As you said, I get nostalgic with all those childhood food, quite often...coz of blogging. Never heard abt this dish, looks splendid, must be tastee one for sure.

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  26. yummy cokkies, your blog template also simple and beautiful.

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  27. Wow those cookies look so delicious!

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