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Who hasn’t heard of Nankhatais? Nankhatais are aromatic, buttery and overly delicious Indian shortbread cookies that originated from the Indian subcontinent back in the 16th century. The name of this savoury Indian dessert is derived from a Persian word. The initial part of ‘naan’ means bread while ‘khatai’ means biscuit. Nankhatais are a popular tea-time snack prepared with several wholesome ingredients: semolina, curd, ghee, and sometimes eggs. Once made, each cookie is beautifully studded with different dry fruits and generally baked until crispy. You are about to come across four easy tips and tricks you must remember while cooking. So quickly take a look to grab our hacks.
1. Knead the dough using a combination of flours
A perfect bakery-style Nankhatai is made by mixing different flours. While some prefer using only one flour, it’s better to combine different varieties of flour such as wheat flour, rice flour or chickpea flour. Using more than one instead of one can help make your nankhatai tastier and healthier.
2. Never forget to use semolina
Semolina is one of the prime ingredients used in making nankhatais. Adding semolina with other flours produces a tasty crust and amps up the flavours.
3. Add dollops of desi ghee for enhancing the texture
Nankhatais tastes unpleasant and dry without desi ghee. You must add big dollops of desi ghee as it helps in bringing out the ultimate rich taste and texture. Once your balls are ready to bake/ fry, always brush the top off with extra ghee too.
4. A pinch of baking powder for fluffiness
Nanakhatai can be prepared in three common ways- frying in a pan, baking in an oven or making a pressure cooker. However, if you are baking your homemade nankhatais, never forget to add a pinch of baking soda for getting a fluffy and delicate texture.
Can’t wait to check out a full recipe? Tap here to know more about making nankhatais at home.
