Diwali is a special time of the year. We were not big celebrators. We never spent lavishly on decorations, clothes or went out to parties. It was a quiet intimate time with my mom and my sister. We lived in our own bubble back then, huddling against each other for comfort and love while my father served in the army far away from us. It was a tough time growing up but also holds the most precious memories. And the festival days were really memorable in my memory. It just felt like it was different from the rest of the days in the year.
Being away now for for years and years, its the memories that keep you going. Trying to recreate a small part of what was but could never be whole and complete again. There is a bitter sweet sadness celebrating with my new life in a foreign world, looking back at how it used to be. Yet still, it still feels like an extraordinary day for me even if I don’t even celebrate. There is just happiness in the air and a skip in my step.
My mother never really made any Indian sweets at home. We usually just bought them while she cooked our favourite savoury items for the Diwali meal. But this Diwali I thought I must make something mom would never make and are the simplest things to prepare. Nankhatai or Indian shortbread just have the basics thrown in with of course some Indian flair; cardamom! It makes all the difference! The cookies are crunchy and so delicious and ready quickly and easily. They keep super well in an air tight container for unto ten whole days, if they last that long!
So here they are, my beautiful Indian cookies, or biscuits as we would call them in India. They are also made with whole wheat flour or atta in Hindi. We make all sorts of goodies with atta especially the well known roti and parantha to name just two types of breads. Whole wheat flour is the staple of all homes in India and you can easily find it in your local Indian store.
Have a magical Diwali 2019 and be well.
- 1¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsps chickpea flour (besan)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 70 grams cold coconut oil
- 70 grams sugar
- 5 green cardamom pods, shell removed and seeds crushed
- pinch of saffron strands
- 4-5 tbsps milk
- handful pecan nuts
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- In a grinder, grind together the sugar, crushed cardamom seeds and saffron. Grind to a fine powder and set aside.
- Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. To this add the sugar mixture. Now add the cold coconut oil and mix with your fingertips into the flour working it till it resembles bread crumbs. Add the milk, a tablespoon at a time to bring the dough together. I used 5 tablespoons of milk, but perhaps you need a little or less. Do not knead the flour.
- Divide the dough into small or medium sized balls depending on what size you want your cookies. I got 16 cookies in total from my dough and the balls were fairly small.
- Rub some coconut oil on to the palms of your hands and gently roll the divided dough in your hands to form a ball. Flatten each ball and press on a pattern or as in my case a pecan nut. Repeat with all remaining balls of dough.
- On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, line the prepared cookies leaving a small distance between each.
- Place in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye. You don't want the cookies getting burned. The perfect cookies in my batch were the ones that were golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
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