Nankhatai ( shortbread cookies )

 

Nankhatai ( shortbread cookies )

Nankhatai cookies are Indian shortbread cookies its delicious ,light ,crispy & eggless . Nankhatai is quite popular tea time cookies ,Traditionally these cookies are made with all purpose flour ,ghee ,sugar & semolina they are many variation of nankhatai cookies made with different combination . First time tried with besan flour ( Gram Flour ) But this time baked these cookies using fried Chana dal both are gluten free recipes .

Ingredient – 1 cup – Fried chana dal ; 1/2 cup – powder sugar ; 1/4 cup – cashew powder ; 2 no – cardomom pods  ; 1/2 cup – ghee or  Clarified butter ; 2 tbsp – curd ; pinch of baking powder & salt.

In mixer grind fried chanadal with cardamom pods into fine powder ,
In seperate bowl mix ghee with curd and a pinch of salt & baking soda then all the dry ingredient fried chana dal , cashew powder & powder sugar . Knead into soft dough .

Make equal sized balls out of the dough and place them on the baking tray Flatten slightly to form a cookie. Finally, add chopped pistachios on the top of the cookies and gently press it .

180°C pre–heated oven and bake for 20 minutes . Allow it to cool and sever with hot tea .

Gluten Free (Eggless) Cookies (Nankhatai)

 

Nankhatai is quite popular tea time cookie / biscuit in Indian subcontinent.  Nankhatai, falls under shortbread cookie category. The word Nankhatai is derived from Persian word Naan meaning bread and Khatai from an Afghan word meaning Biscuit.

Ingredient :   1 cup of besan ( chick flour)     ;     ¼ cup of almond powder or cashew powder      ;      ¼  cup of sugar (powdered)     ;     1/2 cup of semi solid ghee     ;      1 tsp of baking powder     ;     ½ tsp of baking soda     ;     1 tsp of yogurt    ;     2no’s of  cardamom     ;     chopped almond for topping 

In a mixer add 2tbsp of sugar and cardamom (without skin) grind it to powder. 

In mixing bowl, add ghee, powder sugar mix well with whisk until it combines well. In separate bowl add all dry ingredients like besan flour, almond powder, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom-sugar and mix well with whisk.

Slowly the add dry ingredient into ghee mixer and mix well. Add yogurt and combine well until it becomes soft dough. Make equal sized balls out of the dough and place them on the dusted working surface, Flatten slightly to form a cookie. Finally, add chopped almond on the top of the cookies and gently press. 

Arrange the cookies on the cookie tray and transfer into the 180°C pre–heated oven and bake for 30 - 35 min. allow it to cool and sever with hot tea (masala chai).

Lemon Drizzle Cake (Guest Post)

Often, I would bake cake for others. To my surprise, this Lemon Drizzle Cake was baked for me by a 14 year old girl Ms. Rhea Shah.

I know she is a good competitive swimmer and an artist. (In fact she won couple of medals last month, in CBSE swimming championship and her painting decorates my living room) But, never knew she could bake a pretty good cake! I like the moist texture, sponginess, lemon flavor, taste and the cake deserves to be post here.

When I asked about posting @ MCK, she happily agreed to do so. I am sure; you will also enjoy this strong lemon scented sugary cake! Now……. Over to Ms. Rhea Shah………..

What you will need -

3 large eggs      ;       1 cup of all purpose flour       ;       ¾ cup of unsalted butter at room temperature    ;       ¾ cup of caster sugar            ;        1 teaspoon of baking powder    ;               2 lemons           ;        2 tablespoons icing sugar

Directions – 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Beat your butter and sugar together till it becomes a pale yellow color.

Zest both the lemons into the bowl and beat it together along with the flour, eggs and baking powder.

Pour the batter into a tin, and bake it for 30-45 minutes depending on the oven. Bake it till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, get started on the lemon drizzle.

Take 2 tablespoons of icing sugar in a bowl. And squeeze out lemon juice from one and a half lemons, the same lemons you got the zest from.

Mix both of it together.

Once your cake is out of the oven, take a knife and poke holes in the cake after that pour your lemon drizzle on the cake preferably while the cake is still hot.

That’s all, the cake is ready!  

Avocado & Dates marble Cake

Both Avocado and Dates are Fruits of belongs to flowering family. But, Avocado is packed with mono saturated fat and Dates packed with Sugar. 
 

I thought this would be a perfect combination for a cake, because Avocado can give pretty close consistency of butter (once it blended with milk). Dates used as a sweetener. 

Here, I am not avoiding the butter and sugar. I am suing avocado and dates to enhance and create marble effect on the cake, without compromising the softness, texture and the taste.

Ingredient  :    ½ cup of all purpose flour      ;       ½ cup of wheat flour       ;      Half Avocado (scooped and blended with 1/4 cup of milk)       ;       110 gms of butter        ;        6 dates soaked in the water and blended with   1/8 cup of milk       ;          1/2 cup of sugar       ;         2 eggs       ;        3/4 tsp of baking powder         ;        1 tbsp of  coco powder         ;         1/2 tsp of vanilla essence      ;       a pinch of salt 

Procedure :  Mix the dry ingredient wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and keep aside.

In a bowl beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence and then add the dry mixture to the butter mixture till fully cooperated.

Separate the above mixture into two equal half’s. 

Add the date’s paste & coco powder with one half and mix well.  Similarly, add the mashed avocado into another half and mix well.

In a grease loaf tin spread the avocado mixture then spread the dates mixture repeat the process and tap the mixture to make it level.

Transfer the loaf tin into a 180°c preheated oven and bake it till done or for about 35min.