Almond Nankatai

The world is going through one of the worst crisis of our times. The COVID-19 has taken toll in everyones lives in one way or the another. Everyone is at home trying to stay safe and keeping their loved ones safe. However, one positive way to look at it is- We all now have ample family time to do that craft with the family that we wanted to do, to play games with the kids, to create that art project, to pursue that hobby that we look forward to, to develop a new skill that otherwise got pushed to the back in our busy lifestyles.

For me, amongst the most satisfying and gratifying thing is that, I am able to help the community through the COVID-19 efforts through my work place and through some personal efforts along with my husband to show a small gesture of gratitude to the healthcare workers, who are the real heroes and fighting on the frontlines. Another bright side is that I am able to pick up on my cooking and blogging hobby again which had become a rare opportunity amidst the busy lifestyle! So expect new stream of posts over the next few days:)

I baked these Almond Nankatai yesterday. These delicious nankatai cookies have a distinctive almond flavor and are packed with protein due to the almonds (There is more almond powder in the recipe than the flour!) 😋

• Recipe: (Makes about 25-30 cookies) 

1 and 1/4 cup Almond powder
1 cup Powdered sugar
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup milk (may need little less)
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 tsp Baking powder 

Preheat oven to 250F. Apply little butter to baking sheets. 

1) Mix / fold the butter till smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix well by folding.
2) Add vanilla essence, powdered almonds, Flour, Baking powder and mix. Add milk little by little to the batter. Batter will be slightly sticky but not too loose. (Don’t use all milk if not needed! )
3) Place small dollops of batter on baking sheet. Flatten with buttered hands. Put some almond slices on top.
4) Bake at 250F for 30-45 mins till golden brown.
Don’t let the cookies burn! They remain light on top and golden brown on the bottom.

** Oven and baking sheets can vary. So baking time may have to be adjusted slightly accordingly. 

5) Remove when golden brown and let them cool completely before storing in airtight container. Enjoy with the little ones/ loved ones :)

*****More Nankatai Recipes: 

http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Nankatai…

"Coconut-Almond-Wheat Bran" Butter cookies

Every morning, before going to school, all 'E' has is....'Milk and Cookies'. Now which cookies you ask....not the 'healthy' kind I say. Oreo, Pepperidge farm Milanos and Chocolate chip (store bought) are his favorite kinds. Every now and then...I strive (yes that's the right word) to make him eat a 'bit' healthier homemade cookie.But most of the times, it is in vain. He will try one..and then he is back to what he likes.Same with "A'...I have to feed her a cookie (like I feed her Roti) with Great Effort!! But like all 'moms' are...I am very persistent....I will keep on trying...to bake a healthier cookie that they will like :))  
This is another one ....a 'tad bit' healthier version of a butter cookie.

Ingredients:
1 Cup All purpose flour
1 Cup Powdered sugar (heaped full cup)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (that is total of 9 tbsp butter)
1/2 cup Dry powdered coconut
1/4 cup Powdered Almonds
1/4 cup unprocessed Wheat bran
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla essence
Mini chocolate chips and chopped almonds for garnish

 Method:
Preheat the oven to 300F 
1) Bring butter to room temperature. Sieve the all purpose flour and baking powder.
2) Beat the butter till light( you can beat with a hand whisk) Add the powdered sugar and beat for few seconds.
3) Add the coconut powder, almond powder,wheat bran, all purpose flour, vanilla etc and make into a soft dough.
4) Refrigerate the dough for 15 mins.
5) Butter a cooking sheet. Make small round balls with the dough and flatten them slightly. Press almond chips/ chocolate chips in the center.
6) Bake at 300 F for 15-20 mins. Keep a watch. Do not let them brown much.
7) Let them cool completely before storing.

You will enjoy  every bite of these crisp,nutty Cookies with a little bit of 'less' guilt:)

"Sweet Treats"- Besan Nankatai/ Besan Cookies

 There was a BIG pack of 'besan'/ Gram flour lying around in the pantry...and a friend had reminded about 'Besan Nankatai's" just last week. My 'Teeny Tiny" A'...is on a High calorie diet..and I am always looking for foods..that are high calorie, rich in nutrients and relatively healthy for her. These 'Nankatai's....are sure a winner in this category!!! I had baked All purpose flour nankatai's before...and are still my most favorite..
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2010/04/sweet-treats-nankatai-indian-sugar.html

It is kind of hard to cater 3 different diets in the family. 'M' and I need low calorie diet.......because guess what......nobody is getting any thinner :(   Little 'E' needs to eat normal diet...as he needs all the fat,nutrients and calories for his growing body. And then there is little tiny 'A'..she has been low on the weigh scale and the doctor asked us to give her a 'High Calorie' diet!! So..here I am ..the Master Personal Chef of 'Thetes'....catering an array of diets at home!

Ingredients:
Recipe Guidance from:
http://www.cinnamonnchillies.com/2011/03/besan-cookieschickpea-flour-cookies.html
1 stick unsalted room temperature butter
1 Cup Besan/ Gram flour
1 Cup powdered sugar
1/2tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Chopped nuts for garnish

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 300 F/ 150C.
2) Lightly butter a cookie sheet
3) Cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar till light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
4) Sieve the Besan, baking powder,salt.Add to the cream butter sugar mixture.
5) Knead into soft dough.Make little 'Pedha' like balls.Press them a little.
6) Place on cookie sheet and press chopped nuts on top.Or make 'Tic tac toe like pattern"

7) Bake at 300 F for 12-15 mins ..until slight brown on bottom.Cool the cookies.

**My First attempt at Besan Nankatai ---Verdict
The cookies looked excellent....they tasted good too....they had the 'hole' in them too....But..they were a little bit 'chewy'...not the texture of the typical nankatai...

"Sweet Treats"- Nankatai ( Indian sugar-butter cookies)

So far through the pregnancy, I have craved the foods that we made and used to get in India. All the tempting chaats, mouthwatering spicy- tangy dishes and some(few) Indian sweets and desserts. Nankatai was one of my favorite cookies as a child. And it happens to be 'M''s too ( as a kid , he called those 'Nankati- taai'  cookies...LOL!!) So few years ago, when M's parents visited us here in USA, M's mom taught me this recipe. It was so easy , quick and gave us the taste of 'Nankatai' here in USA....  away from India. Like parents-like son......'E' loved the 'Nankatta cookies' (as he calls them) and munched on them throughout the day!

Nankatai has a sugar- butter- flour base and then you can jazz it up with whatever nuts and flavors you want. But a typical nankatai will be ' creamish white' in color and may or maynot have any nuts. When you bite into this blissfull cookie it just melts in your mouth....

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Unsalted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour ( approx)

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking powder

Nuts like Cashews, Almonds, chopped Pistachios

Method:

1) Fold room temp butter till very smooth.No lumps should be seen.

2) Mix powdered sugar,vanilla essence

3) Add the all purpose flour(mixed with baking powder) spoon by spoon, to make a smooth dough.Use only as much needed to make smooth dough.

4) Roll into small balls (about size of a 'Pedha' )

5) Garnish with the nuts.Or make a 'grid' or 'Tictactoe' like design on top of the cookie with a knife and garnish with pistachios.

6) Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the nankatai on cookie sheet with some space between each of them.They will 'spread' will baking.

Bake at 250 F for 20 mins. Watch out! They will burn from the bottom easily.You don't want to darken them.

7) Makes about 40 Nankatais.Store in airtight container.

Enjoy this buttery-sugary..'Melt-in- your-mouth' cookie with a cup of hot tea/ coffee