Atta Biscuits

From what I have heard from people, these biscuits are not simply biscuits, but emotions 🙂 I have read at many places people remembering and missing these once they relocate from the North. Unfortunately, I do not have any childhood memories of these, but yes I have eaten it last to last year. We had been to Chandigarh during Pongal holidays of 2019. I remember

buying two big packets of these biscuits which I had thoroughly enjoyed. The fact that surprised me was that, I had never associated Punjab with baked goodies especially biscuits and cookies. We were amazed and quite surprised to see many many shops including the usual kiraana stores flooding with neatly boxes of these patti biscuits.

On our drive from Chandigarh to Dalhousie and Amritsar, this was the most common scene. Plus vendors selling lovely oranges. How I wish those days are back again, when we are able to drive to places we like, without any fear of any virus of infection. How can I forget the fresh vegetables which I had packed in my bag pack from a vegetable market in Chandigarh before catching our flight to Chennai. Carrots, cauliflower, green peas and what not 🙂 If I had my way, I would have bought all the available veggies. Nothing makes me more happy then seeing fresh vegetables 🙂

Coming back to the recipe… These are pretty simple to make with very few ingredients. You may add around 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder too for added lightness. I avoid it most of the times. Do not worry, if you do not have this kind of sev maker. Simply roll and cut. Poke some holes for uniform baking. These kind of sev maker is easily available on Amazon.in. As always, the cup size is 240 ml. One cup whole wheat flour weighed around 135 grams. Do not skip the cardamom powder, as it gives a beautiful flavour to these otherwise plain biscuits. So, how about trying it this weekend and put an end to the store bought preservatives loaded biscuits. Add spices of yoir choice and make variations.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup
• Salt a pinch
• Baking soda a pinch (optional)
• Cane sugar 1/4 cup plus a tbsp
• Ghee 1/4 cup
• Milk 1-2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Sieve the flour, salt, cardamom powder and baking soda two times or whisk it well.

• Cream the ghee (thick at room temperature) and sugar till it’s light and fluffy. You may use a wooden spoon or a hand whisk.

• Now add the dry ingredients into the ghee-sugar mixture and fold gently.

• Add milk spoon by spoon and assemble to form a soft dough. Do not knead hard or else the biscuits would turn out hard.

• Cover and allow the dough to rest for ten minutes.
• Grease an idiyappam maker or sev press and attach the below shape mesh to it.

• Divide the dough into two parts and fill the mould with half of the dough.
• Meanwhile line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it ready.
• Keep the press on the tray at an angle say 45 degree and press it so that the dough falls like a strip. Stop pressing when the biscuit is around 2-3 inches. Or you may cut with a knife when the desired lenghth is reached.
• Arrange these biscuits on the tray and refrigerate the biscuits with the tray for atleast ten minutes.

• During this time, preheat the oven with both rods on and with the fan mode on at around 150-170 degree Celsius for ten minutes.
• Now bake these biscuits for 20-25 minutes or till the sides look golden.
• Remove the tray from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
• After 5-6 minutes, transfer the biscuits from the tray onto the cooling rack and cool completely.
• Store in airtight containers and enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee.

Notes:

• You may opt to use white refined sugar instead of cane sugar as is the case with the traditional recipe. Or replace cane sugar with brown sugar or jaggery powder.
• If you like your biscuits nicely sweetened, please add a tablespoon more than mentioned above. I have used only one fourth cup and my biscuits are just mildly sweet.
• Incase your dough becomes too dry, please add one or two teaspoons of unflavoured oil or ghee. Do not add more than two tablespoons of milk.
• If you do not have this sev maker, you may roll the dough between two layers of parchment paper and cut it in desired shapes..
• Unsalted butter can be used in place of ghee.