Besan Nankhatai

**Updating pictures from the batch made two days back. This is perfect colouring 🙂 Earlier batch was one shade darker than what I would have liked.

I love December and I am sure that most of you would agree with me if I say that this month is the most liked month of all. Good weather, plenty of fruits and vegetables, lot of holidays, festive mood, vacation spirit makes it stand apart from the remaining eleven months. After a lengthy hiatus and break from blogging, I hope that I shall become more active and experimental with my bakes and cooking

in 2021. As is the case with most of us, 2020, didn’t ring well with me. Change of house, oven issues, pandemic everything made me stick to basic cooking and baking. No extravaganza or fancy cooking, and the result was reflected in my blog too… I have uploaded only a handful of recipes in whole of 2020. Hopefully 2021 would bring in more peace, joy and good health in the society.

Coming to festivities, (last year we didn’t celebrate a single festival as a mark of respect to my beloved father in law), Christmas is in the air and we have put up an X-Mas tree in our house this year 🙂 We were planning for some gifts for my sister and family and what better gift to give my brother in law than some of his favourite “nankhatais” 🙂 So, here I am with a variation to my earlier recipe of nankhatai. This one is with besan or gram flour, along with ghee, some powdered sugar, cardamom powder and finely chopped pistachios. This has an extremely melt in the mouth texture. I thought, it resembles the “Mysurpa ” of the famous outlet Sri Krishna Sweets. When I told this to my sister, she said this tasted even better than that 🙂 I couldn’t have asked for more.

As always, I have used my 240 ml cup. For those interested in other variations of nankhatai, you may try these authentic nankhatai with all purpose flour or this one with whole wheat flour, chocolate nankhatai or custard nankhatai.

Ingredients:

• Besan/gram flour 1 cup (85-90 gm)
• Salt a pinch
• Baking soda a pinch (optional)
• Granulated sugar 1/4 cup (50 gm)
• Cardamom pods 2-3
• Pistachio few
• Ghee 1/3 cup

Method:

• Sieve the flour, salt and baking soda (only if needed) two times.

• Powder the sugar along with the cardamom pods.
• Mix the sugar and ghee and cream it well using a wooden spatula or whisk or electric beater.

• Once the ghee and sugar mixture is pale in colour and light, add the dry ingredients and bring the dough together.

• If required, add a teaspoon more of ghee or you may sprinkle a spoon of milk, whichever is the case.
• Line a baking sheet or cookie tray with parchment paper.
• Make small balls out of the dough and flatten it slightly on your palm.
• Arrange these neatly on the baking tray leaving some gap between two consecutive nankhatais.
• Make an incision on the top using a knife or alternatively you may press the centre or make designs using a fork or other kitchen tools.
• Finely chop few pistachios and sprinkle it on top of these.
• Refrigerate these along with the tray for atleast 15-20 minutes.
• Now preheat the oven at 150-160 degree Celsius using both rods and fan settings. Or you may choose whatever mode works best in your oven.
• Bake these for around 14-16 minutes or till the sides and bottom looks golden in colour. (mine has turned slightly brown, but I will rectify it next time 🙂 ).
• Once done, remove the tray from the oven, place it on a wire rack and allow it to cool in the tray for 4-5 minutes.
• Transfer them very slowly (yes, they are very very soft) using a flat spatul or bench scrapper on to a cooling and cool completely.
• Store it in airtight container and enjoy 🙂

Notes:

• Do not over mix or knead the dough.
• Use an additional spoon of ghee or flour depending on the texture of the dough.
• You may add Kesar strands if you wish to.
• Don’t add milk or water to bind the dough.
• Use fresh besan for better flavour and texture.
• I have used thick ghee and not melted one.
• Refrigerating for few minutes after shaping will ensure that it doesn’t turn flat and lose its shape while baking.
• Check the doneness after 12 minutes or so and keep an eye on it towards the end of baking. It can turn from a nice golden colour to brown very quickly.
• As each oven behaves differently, please follow the temperature, rod settings and time accordingly.
• Dont stack it tightly while storing it, it will crumble.