How to make Besan Nankhatai recipe?

20 Jul How to make Besan Nankhatai recipe?

Last Updated on December 24, 2021 by blessmyfoodbypayal

WHAT DOES NANKHATAI MEAN?

Nankhatai are the shortbread biscuits, originating from the Indian subcontinent, popular in Northern India and Pakistan.

The word Nankhatai is derived from the Persian word “NAAN” meaning “BREAD” and “KHATAI” from a Dari Persian word meaning “BISCUIT” ~ Wikipedia

THIS BESAN KI NANKHATAI HAS :

√ Zero Maida (all purpose flour)
√ Zero Atta (whole wheat flour)
√ No baking powder or baking soda
√ No butter or oil
√ All the goodness of gram flour
√ Richness of desi ghee
√ Fragrance of Cardamoms
√ Haleness of almonds
√ Binding of rice flour
√ Nuttiness of nutmeg
√ Sweetness of bura sugar
√ Graininess of semolina and
√ Luxury of pistachios

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ONE RECIPE DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS

These shortbread cookies are made in many ways when it comes to ingredients.

From all purpose flour to wheat flour or rice flour, semolina to butter in place of desi ghee, all these ingredients can go into Nankhatai.

Most commonly, maida is being used in making this sweet buttery cookies alongwith butter.

We have tried to keep it healthy by using gram flour, desi ghee, almonds and bura sugar.

However in coming times, we would like to share nankhatai recipe without besan too.

TASTE AND TEXTURE

Also called Shortbread cookies, these are sold in every bakery shop.

These are tender yet mildly crispy cookies which melts in mouth in no time.

They are crumbly at the same time due to the presence of desi ghee in it.

AROMATIC BESAN NANKHATAI

Leave aside their taste and texture for a minute and let us introduce you to their aroma.

Have you ever cooked besan ke ladoo?

Try to recollect that great aroma of gram flour (besan) getting roasted slowly slowly in desi ghee.

OMG…I am getting mesmerized just by that fascinating thought.

So it will not be 100% incorrect to say that this nankhatai was almost like baked Besan ke Ladoo.

INGREDIENTS USED

ALMONDS : Almonds are used in this recipe to bring extreme richness. Instead of powering the almonds, you can directly use almond flour, if you have.

You may use walnuts, cashews or other nuts of your choice in place of almonds.

GRAM FLOUR : Though most commonly, this recipe is made using all purpose flour but we have preferred besan over maida.

Packed with essential nutrients, gram flour has an excellent protein content and is wholesome.

DESI GHEE : There’s no need to explain the royalty of any food that is enriched with desi ghee.

This is the typical combination of besan and desi ghee, which makes these nankhatais much more delicious.

Quite close to the taste and aroma of besan ke ladoo, these cookies get their crumble, their richness, their aura from desi ghee.

BURA SUGAR : We have tried to keep this recipe healthy by using bura sugar.

This sugar is processed from the sugarcane and no chemicals are used during processing.

If you are using regular refined sugar, then better to use it in powdered form.

You can also use Jaggery or cane sugar, but that will impact on the colour of your cookies.

RICE FLOUR : rice flour will work as binding agent in this recipe. However you can use whole wheat flour or all purpose flour too.

SEMOLINA : Though just 1 tbsp of suji is added in this recipe, but it has great impact on the overall texture of Cookies.

That graininess, that roughness in smooth buttery cookies work as a magic which you will feel in every single bite.

So prefer not to skip semolina.

CARDAMOMS : Obviously, this is for fragrance.

We have whole cardamoms so grinded them along with almonds. If you have cardamom powder, add 1/2 tsp of it.

NUTMEG : This is optional but better to add if you have. Nutmeg has a unique nuttiness which adds deliciousness to the recipe, it is added into.

SALT : Salt in sweet recipes helps in enhancing the flavours.

PISTACHIOS : They are there for the makeover.

You can garnish your Cookies with almonds or cashews too.

STORAGE OF BESAN NANKHATAI

These cookies can be store at room temperature in an airtight steel or glass jar and stays good for 2 to 3 weeks.

So lets being with the recipe of besan khatai and if you are interested in listening to nankhatai recipe without besan, then video of the same has also been embedded in this post.

STEP WISE PICTORIAL RECIPE OF BESAN NANKHATAI RECIPE

1. Firstly put almonds and cardamoms in a blender. (See notes below)

2. Grind them to a fine powder. Keep aside.

3. Take a bowl and add gram flour, semolina, rice flour (see notes), powdered almonds, nutmeg, salt and sugar.

4. Give them a good mix.

5. Now start adding desi ghee in parts and keep on binding the dough.

6. Using all ghee, make a semi soft dough. Remember, don’t knead the dough but only bring the mixture together.

7. Take a lemon size dough out of the entire dough.

8. Roll it between your palms making it a smooth ball. Likewise make all balls.

9. Arrange on a baking tray lined with greased butter paper.

10. Tuck a piece of pistachio on each ball but don’t press the ball too much.

11. Place the tray in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

12. Transfer into a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes @180°C in the middle rack of oven. Don’t over-bake as the nankhatais need to retain their original pale yellow colour.

13. Bring them out and let cool completely.

Besan Nankhatai recipe is ready.

NOTES

1. We have used bura sugar which comes in powdered form. But if you are using refined sugar, you can powder it along with almonds and Cardamoms.
2. Rice flour can be replaced with wheat flour or all purpose flour.

ALSO SEE

• Cashew cookies recipe
• Eggless Butterscotch Cookies recipe from scratch
• Almond biscuit recipe
• Coconut cookies
• Eggless walnut cookies

BESAN NANKHATAI RECIPE – RECIPE CARD

Besan Nankhatai recipe

blessmyfoodbypayal

Nankhatai are the shortbread biscuits made with different flours and the one made with gram flour is called besan nankhatai recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting time 30 minutes mins

Course Cookies

Cuisine Indian

Servings 36 Nankhatai

Ingredients

  

1 cup = 200ml

• 1/4 cup almonds (about 40 pc)
• 1 cup gram flour/besan (104 gram)
• 1/2 cup desi ghee (100 g)
• 1/2 cup sugar (92 g/we have added bura sugar. You can add refined sugar after powering)
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tbsp semolina/suji
• 4 green Cardamoms
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• Pistachios (chopped for garnish)

Instructions

 

• Firstly put almonds and cardamoms in a blender. (See notes below)
• Grind them to a fine powder. Keep aside.
• Take a bowl and add gram flour, semolina, rice flour (see notes), powdered almonds, nutmeg, salt and sugar.
• Give them a good mix.
• Now start adding desi ghee in parts and keep on binding the dough.
• Using all ghee, make a semi soft dough. Remember, don't knead the dough but only bring the mixture together.
• Take a lemon size dough out of the entire dough.
• Roll it between your palm making it a smooth ball. Likewise make all balls.
• Arrange on a baking tray lined with greased butter paper.
• Tuck a piece of pistachio on each ball but don't press the ball too much.
• Place the tray in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Transfer into a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes @180°C in the middle rack of oven. Don't overbake as the nankhatais need to retain their original pale yellow colour.
• Bring them out and let cool completely.
• Naankhatai is ready.

Notes

1. We have used bura sugar which comes in powdered form. But if you are using refined sugar, you can powder it along with almonds and Cardamoms.
2. Rice flour can be replaced with wheat flour or all purpose flour.

Keyword besan ki nankhatai, besan nankhatai, nankhatai