Put the kettle on and take out a
bag of masala chai tea, because for April's Cookie of the Month we brought the flavors of India to the grandpas' mouths through a rich, buttery and crispy Indian shortbread cookie known as Nan Khatai.
Their history is complicated. It
starts with Dutch explorers who set up a bakery in India . The Dutch leave and Indians
take over. Then come the British with their love of shortbread biscuits. The
popularity of Maglai Cuisine in India (under
the Mughal, with lots of Persian spices and dried fruit) causes the shortbread biscuit to acquire spices and then the name "Irani Biscuit." Then, somehow through the association of being Persian, comes the
Persian name "Nankhatai," which means "bread of Cathay " or Chinese bread.
Thankfully, while the history is
complicated, the recipe is simple; so simple, that Kate let the kids get really
involved this month ... too involved. There was a lot of dumping outside the
bowl, blowing flour, squishing dough between fingers, and finger licking, and
unsanctioned cookie eating. But, despite the mess, the results are quite
addictive.
In India ,
these crumbly treats, which are often enjoyed around the holidays, come in a
variety of flavors, mostly nut-based. In fact, in a lot of ways, they're like
our Pecan Sandies. But, to differentiate them and to really get a flavor of the
Subcontinent, we decided to drop a mixture of pistachio, walnut, and cardamom
in the middle of each cookie.
