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 .

Hflc Lunch Menu Series 6

Hflc Lunch Menu Series 6

Chicken ghee roast, Omelette, Homemade Bun toasted with Butter

Home made labneh Cheese

Chicken Ghee Roast : Chicken Ghee Roast, is a classic recipe among South Indian chicken recipes, Fiery red color, tangy and spicy with a flavour of ghee roasted spices, served with Bread or Rice

Chicken -750 gms ; yogurt – 1/4 cup ; 1 tsp – turmeric powder ; whole red chilli – 10 no ; kashmiri whole chilli – 10 no ;1/4 cup – ghee ; 2 - big onion chopped ; 2 – tomatoes ; 2 tbsp – ginger & garlic ; 1 tsp – fennel seeds ; 1 tsp – peppercorns ; 1 tsp – cumin seeds ; 2 tbsp – tamarind paste ; 2 tbsp – coriander seeds ; salt to taste

Wash and cut chicken into bite size pieces and marinade it in yogurt along with turmeric & salt for about 2 hour. In a heavy bottom pan heat 1 Tbsp ghee and add, whole red chilli, kashmir chilli, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, ginger, coriander seeds, Fry in medium flame for about a minute. Add ginger garlic & tamarind paste and grind as fine paste, kept aside.

In the same pan, add 1/4 cup of ghee, chopped onion and salute it. Once the onion colour changes then add tomatoes and marinated chicken sauté it for while. Add the grind spices paste and cook for a while with lid closed.chicken should be completely cooked in low flame  and get coated with thick layer of masala can see the ghee separates on the sides of the pan 

Homemade Labneh 

Labneh is nothing more than strained yogurt with rich & creamy texture similar to cream cheese 

Arrange a double layer of muslin cloth in a strainer  , refrigerate  for 24 hours use the whey water for marinate fish & meat .add salt to labneh dizzle some olive oil & chilli flakes ,serve as dip.

 

Caramelized Rava Kesari

This is a direct contradiction to my previous post. Yes, Carb (sugar) rich sweet recipe. Those who are in HFLC, please stay away from this. It’s exclusively meant for sweet toothed people

I’m sure, many of you know how to make a rava kesari. The twist here it is “Caramelized”, to enhance the ordinary kesari. This was introduced to me by my aunt Manju, who lives in France. This Caramelized version of kesari, impressed me so much I thought of sharing it here……

Ingredient  :    1 cup of Rava (semolina)   ;        ¾ cup of sugar      ;       3 tbsp of ghee      ;        2 cup of milk  ; ½ tsp  cardamom powder        ;     10 no's of chopped cashews

In a thick bottom pan start to roast rava at low flame for about 10 – 15 min or until a slight colour change. Transfer the rava into a plate and keep aside.

In the same pan, add sugar and put the flame at medium allow to caramelize. (During the caramelization process, water will be released from sugar) Meanwhile, boil the milk and keep it aside.

Once, the sugar turns into light amber in color, add the milk and 2 tbsp of ghee. (Take care of splatters as water and fat are in different temp)

Continue to cook and keep stirring until the caramel mixture become smooth. Add roasted rava to the mixture and star cook at low flame until the kesari starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Meanwhile, in small pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashew to golden colour and add it to the kesari. As a final touch, sprinkle cardmom powder and serve hot or warm.

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).

Sheermal or Shirmal

 

Sheermal is a mildly sweet naan made out of maida, leavened with yeast, baked in a tandoor or oven. Though it’s from Persian origin, it is quite popular in Lucknow and Hyderabad. 

My regular readers know that, I try my level best to avoid maida and ghee in my preparations. But, this bread I am baking with 100% maida. Because, sheermal was baked for We Knead To Bake #22

Ingredients:      2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (maida)    ;    ¾ tsp of  instant yeast    ;    2 tsp of  sugar     ;     1/4 cup of lukewarm water      ;        3/4 tsp of salt      ;        1 egg lightly beaten      ;         1/4 cup of  ghee     ;     1/2 cup of  milk (or more, as required for kneading)         ;    1/4 tsp of cardamom powder       ;    2tbsp  of milk      ;     melted butter for brushing

Procedure : Mix the yeast into the warm water with sugar and set aside for 5 min.

Add flour and salt in a bowl and add the yeast mixture, beaten egg and mix well. Now add the ghee in two lots and mix further till it looks like fine crumbs.

Now add as much milk, cardamom powder and knead until you have very soft and slightly sticky dough. Transfer this to an oiled bowl cover with a damp cloth for 2 hours or till doubled in volume.

Deflate the dough and knead again and shape into a ball. Lightly coat all over with a little ghee, cover with a damp cloth and allow it rest for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and using your fingers, press out each portion into a round of approximately 4” diameter and about 1/8” thick. You may use rolling pin also)

Place the rounds on a parchment lined or lightly greased baking tray and using a fork prick holes on the whole surface.

Brush the bread all over, lavishly with milk. Bake in a per-heated oven at 180°C for about 10 to 15 minutes till they turn a lovely golden brown.

Take them out of the oven, and immediately brush them lightly with butter. Serve warm along with mutton curry.