Nan Khatai for Diwalli

I was trying to find a cookie from India for the celebration of Diwalli. Diwalli is the festival of light. Traditional gifts for the holiday are candles and sweets.  Cookies do not seem to be an Indian sort of thing. Carrot Halwa, a carrot pudding is really good, but not a cookie. Galub Jamum is wonderful but they are like doughnut holes soaked in a cardamon syrup. They are really really good. Lon loves them, but they do not fit the blog title. I found this recipe on a couple of different web sites and I merged them a little. They are good. Especially with tea.

Nan Khatai

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup semolina

1/2 cup graham flour *

pinch of baking soda -scant 1/8th teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon of cardamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

sliced almonds

chopped pistachios

chopped dried coconut (it is called coconut powder at the Indian grocer, but it is little pieces of coconut)

*it called for gram flour, but I used the graham flour as that is what I had. It added a bit of a grainy crunchier texture.

Preheat oven to 375

Line a baking sheet with parchment

In a small mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, semolina, graham flour, baking soda and cardamon.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar for about 4 minutes till light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture, till it holds together.  Also using your hands will help it hold together.

I used the medium scoop, and then flattened them in with my hands.

Once they were on the parchment lined baking sheet, I flattened them with my hand, then used a butter knife and made a grid pattern.  I sprinkled them with the pistachios, sliced almonds, and some of the dried coconut.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are brown.  Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before removing to the rack to cool completely.

Makes about 12.





Next time I will search out gram flour. Might make a smoother cookie, but these are good.