NANKATAI / NANKHATAI / CARDAMOM FLAVOURED COOKIES

Nankhatais are basically shortbread biscuits flavoured with cardamom originating from the Indian subcontinent and very popular in India and Pakistan.
The word Nankhatai is derived from Persian word "Naan" meaning bread and "Khatai" from an Afghan word meaning Biscuit. In Afghanistan and Northeast Iran, these biscuits are called "Kulcha-e-Khataye." (Info- Wikipedia)
Nankhatais are very popular in Sindhi homes too. We usually make them during Sataen / Satam festival in the month of Shravan along with many other goodies.

Ingredients:
Maida ............. 1 cup
Icing sugar ..... 1/2 cup (if you like it too sweet add 1 tbsp more)
Desi ghee ....... 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder ... 1/4 tsp
Baking soda ...... 1 pinch
Salt .............. 1 pinch (optional - it actually balances the taste of all the sweet dishes)
Pistachios ..... 1 tbsp (sliced)

Method:

Collect all the ingredients and bring to room temperature.

In a bowl mix together Desi ghee and icing sugar.

Keep whisking until they are well blended.

Now tip in the cardamom powder, salt and baking soda.

Spoon in the maida little by little and keep whisking until all the maida is used up.

Knead the mixture lightly with your hands.

Take a small portion and make a round ball. Flatten it. Put the sliced pistachios on it and press lightly. Make all the nankhatais and place them on a greased baking tray.

Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and allow the nankhatais to cool well. Store them in an air tight container.

Check out the video:

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BESANI / BESANA JI KOKI / SINDHI FLATBREAD WITH GRAM FLOUR

Besani or Besana ji Koki is a traditional flat bread from the Sindhi Cuisine. Koki is made only from wheat flour while in Besani we add besan (gram flour) . You can take the ratio of half and half of both the flours. Finely chopped onions, green chillies and carom seeds are also added for flavour. This can be served for breakfast with curd , pickle or for brunch with any sabzi too if you like. It is quite filling.

Ingredients:
Besan / gram flour ... 1 cup
Wheat flour ............. 1 cup
Onion ..................... 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Green chillies ........ 2-3 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves ... handful
Carom seeds / ajwain ... 1/2 tsp or cumin seeds
Turmeric powder ......... 1/4 tsp
Salt ............................ to taste
Ghee or oil ................ 2 tbsps (to add while kneading)
Ghee or oil .............. as needed (to brush while roasting)

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and knead adding water little by little.

Make a stiff dough.

Take a small portion and roll it out into a flat bread slightly thicker than the normal roti.

Heat a griddle and transfer the roti. Prick it with the spatula or a knife.

Roast the flat breads brushing a little ghee to make them crisp.

Repeat the same process and make all the rotis. Serve hot with pickle, curd or sabzi.

Check out the video

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MITHYUN TIKKYUN / DEEP FRIED SWEET FLAT BREADS

Mithyun Tikkyun are deep fried sweet flat breads made specially for Sataein / Thadri. You can use only maida or mix wheat flour in any proportion you like. Even the shapes also vary.. some prefer round while some cut into quarters. These days using the cookie cutters you can even make a fany shape. I have made the Traditional shape which is round with the pinched edges.

Ingredients:
Maida .... 1 cup
Wheat flour ... 1 cup
Fine semolina .. 2 tbsps
Sugar ......... 1/2 cup
Water ........ 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder .. 1/4 tsp (optional)
Sesame seeds ........ 1 tbsp
Desi ghee ............ 2 tbsps
Oil ............... for frying.

Method:

Add the sugar with luke warm water and mix it well until it melts. You can also soak it for few hours and keep mixing it a few times in between.

Now take the maida, wheat flour and semolina. Add the sesame seeds and cardamom powder.

Mix together and make a well. Add melted ghee.

 Mix until it resembles crumbs. It should form a lump when pressed in your palm which means the ghee is sufficient.

Now add the sugar syrup little by little and make a stiff dough. Use only as much is required.

Roll out a portion of it into a thick roti. You can make it round or pinch the edges as shown in the picture,

Heat oil. Lower the flame and deep fry the tikkyun until crisp and golden brown in colour flipping them carefully a couple of times to fry evenly.

Remove them in a plate and let them cool down before boxing them.

Check out the video

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Satpura

KANBHO / KHATTO BHATH / SINDHI STYLE CURD RICE

Kanbho or khatto Bhath is the Sindhi version of curd rice. It is a traditional dish prepared usually on Shitala Satam (Satain / Thadri) when we eat the cold food prepared the previous day. This is just seasoned with crushed mustard which helps in fermenting the dish and gives the tangy flavour. I prepare it the way I have seen my grandma doing it, ie add lukewarm milk to the cooked rice with a spoonful of curd and crushed mustard seeds and mix everything together. Some people also add Sundh (Sonth / Dry ginger powder)
This was done at night before sleeping and by morning you have the khatto bhath ready.
Alternately you can also make it by mixing the curd and the cooked rice together and then season with crushed mustard seeds like we usually prepare the curd rice. But remember that we have to leave this for few hours at least to enhance the mustard flavours.

Ingredients:
Cooked rice .... 1 cup or as needed.
Milk ................ 2 cups (boiled and cooled)
Curd ............. 1 tbsp
Salt .............. to taste
Mustard seeds .... 1 tsp (crushed coarsely)
Sonth / dry ginger powder ....... 1/4 tsp (optional)

Method:
1. Take the rice in an earthenware or glass bowl.
2. Add lukewarm milk.
3. Stir in the crushed mustard seeds and mix well.
4. Cover it with a lid and place a cloth napkin over it.
5. Leave it overnight to set.
6. In the morning stir the kanbho and check the consistency. Add a little water and salt if required.
(Remember the rice is already cooked with salt)

Check out the video

GUR JO LOLO / SWEET ROTI WITH JAGGERY

This is another version of Sindhi lolo made with jaggery instead of sugar. Using jaggery is a better
option too. We usually make this as a prashad on Poonai (Guru Poornima ) day to break our fast.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour ... 5 cups
Jaggery    .  250 gms  (about 1 and 1/2 cups after crushing)
Ghee / oil ... as needed (you can use half and half too mixed together if you think only ghee will be heavy )

Method:
1. Crush the jaggery. Cook it adding about 2 cups water on low flame until it melts. Remove the impurities. Strain and set aside to cool.
2. Take the flour in a big bowl and add about 1/4 cup ghee or oil and mix well. When you take a small portion in your hand and press it like a muthiya it should be firm and not crumble. This is the test that the ghee (moin ) is sufficient.
3. Now add the melted jaggery syrup little by little and make a stiff dough.
4. Divide the dough into 5 or 6 portions. Roll each portion into a thick roti.
5. Shallow fry it on a griddle spooning a little ghee or oil on low flame until it is crisp and done.

See the making procedure of lolo in the video 

DAHI VADAS

Perfect dish for summer ! ..

Ingredients:
Urad dal .... 1 cup (soak for few hours )
Yogurt ...... 2 cups or more if needed
Raisins ..... handful
Baking powder ... 1/8 tsp
Salt ......... to taste
Sugar .... little to add in the yogurt.
Oil ..... to fry
Roasted and ground cumin powder and red chilli powder (for garnishing)
Sweet Date and tamarind chutney (for garnishing)

Method:
1. Wash and soak the urad dal for a few hours.
2. Grind to a thick batter adding very little water.
3. Mix the raisins, salt and baking powder to the batter just before frying.( the salt leaves water and it will make the batter watery)
4. Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan and fry the vadas.
5. Drop them into water for soaking.
6. Churn the yogurt adding salt to taste and sugar to balance it.
7. Squeeze out the water carefully with light hands and put them into yogurt and let them soak again.
8. When you are ready to serve add some more churned yogurt if needed. Garnish with cumin and chilli powders and sweet chutney.  

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