Nankhatai

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 2 cups
Powdered Sugar - 1 cup
Butter/Ghee/Any shortening - 1 cup
Powdered pista/almonds - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 1 to 2 tsp to mix
Cardamom crushed - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add flour, powdered pista or almonds, crushed cardamom and nutmeg powder.
3. Add 1 or 2 tsp of yogurt if necessary and knead to a pliable dough.
4. Make small balls and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes till light brown.
6. Cool and store in containers.

Sending this recipe to Sonia's Kitchen "Foodelicious Event – FSF Event"

Khara Biscuit for Indian Cooking Challenge

"Khara" means spicy in Kannada. These biscuits are spicy and salty and usually available at bakeries in Bangalore. These cookies are flavored with herbs and are addictive.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Butter - 1/3 cup softened
Sugar - 4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 4 chopped fine or more per taste
Ginger - 1/2 tsp grated
Cilantro - chopped 2 - 3 tbsp
Curry leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
Yogurt - 2 - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar till creamy. Add the 2 TBSP yogurt and continue to beat.
4. Add the dry ingredients and beat slowly.
5. Mix with your hands to work the dough but don't use too much of pressure.
6. Add the chopped curry leaves, cilantro, ginger grated, and chillies and if necessary, another tbsp of yogurt.
7. The dough will have to be crumbly not wet at all.
8. Roll the dough into 1/4" thickness.
9. Cut with your cookie cutters.
10. Place on the baking sheets or stoneware bakesheet and bake for 18 - 20 minutes. 11. Flip the cookies halfway.
12. Cool and store in containers.

Sending this entry to Indian Cooking Challenge for May hosted by Spicing Your Life. The recipe is adapted from "Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen".