My mum's Nan Khatai is the best that I have tasted. I may be biased when I say this, but I think they have the perfect balance of flavours, chew and bite. Or as my son says..they just melt in the mouth.
One of the things I really miss being the furthest sibling away from home (get your violin out), is my mum's cooking. She is naturally gifted and has the ability to conjure up the most mouthwatering dishes.
There are many other things that I do miss but I wouldn't want to burden you with those. Or have you wondering where you put the Cello.
Her Nan Khatai is one such recipe. It has travelled the world to be in the hands of relatives who wanted needed some with their chai.
Variations
Now I know that not all Nan Khatais are the same. There are some that are more powdery then others and some that have a very obvious gaping hole in the middle. These have neither and they are perfect just as they are.
Some make them using Semolina, Gram and Plain Flour but my mum only uses Plain Flour. Some don't use Egg at all. I think the Egg yolks used in this recipe give them the chew that I LOVE.
What is Nan Khatai?
Nan Khatai is an Indian shortbread type biscuit but with more sugar, the perfect dome and the perfume of Cardamom scattered throughout it. I am romanticising them a bit, I realise.
It could be that my fasting is making me see them through rose tinted spectacles. Or it could be that they really are that good. I will let you decide.
You don't have to tell me either way but any praise of my mum's recipes is always welcome. There are 3 such recipes coming up. (Get your typing fingers ready).
The best bit? These are made in 1 bowl (stand mixer or by hand) with zero fuss. You don't even have to line the trays. HURRAY!
Ingredients for Nan Khatai
- Plain Flour
- Egg Yolks
- Ground Cardamom Powder
- Sugar
- Ghee
- Baking Powder
How to make them
This is my favourite bit.
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
Form into small balls.
(Uniformity has never been my strong point).
Bake at 180C/GM 4 for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden.
Storing Nan Khatai
These delicious biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for 3 weeks.
Tips to make the best Nan Khatai
- Do not overmix. You need to mix the ingredients just enough to bring them together to form a dough.
- It is best to use room temperature Ghee or Butter in this recipe. So not completely melted but not fridge cold either.
Variations
- You can replace some of the Plain Flour with Semolina or Gram Flour.
- You can use Butter in place of Ghee.
more cookie recipes you may enjoy:
**if you make something from tiffin and tea, i would love to see your creations! don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below! we love to hear from you. safira x
📖 Recipe
Nan Khatai
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Plain Flour
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 450 g Granulated Sugar or Caster
- 500 g Ghee You may need a couple of extra tablespoons to bring the dough together
- 2 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and and mix to form a dough. You can also do this by hand.
- Form into small balls - around ¾ inch. Place on trays leaving a space between each ball.
- Bake at 180C/GM 4 for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden.
Notes
Storing Nan Khatai
These delicious biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for 3 weeks.Tips to make the best Nan Khatai
- Do not overmix. You need to mix the ingredients just enough to bring them together to form a dough.
- It is best to use room temperature Ghee or Butter in this recipe. So not completely melted but not fridge cold either.
- You may need a couple of extra tablespoons of ghee to bring the dough together. Don't add too much as this will result in flat nan khatai.
- Feel free to halve quantities. They do disappear fast which is why my mum always makes such huge quantity.
Variations
- You can replace some of the Plain Flour with Semolina or Gram Flour.
- You can use Butter in place of Ghee.
Saj says
Having tried Dishoom's recipe (which turned out to be highly disappointing), your mum's recipe really hit the mark, so thank you for sharing it! I wondered whether you have ever tried adding a few drops of vanilla essence at all, as I noticed some recipes suggest adding it in.
Also, how does Semolina and Besan change the texture/flavour of the naan khatai?
Safira says
Thank you so much. So happy to read this!
Definitely trying them with Vanilla. I imagine it will work really well.
I haven't tried it with either Semolina or Besan. I have baked cookies with Besan before and because it is slightly drier, had to add a splash of milk. Would love to know how they turn out, if you try using the alternatives yourself. Thanks so much for your feedback. It is so appreciated. 🙂