It’s hard to believe that we are almost at the end of this lovely 12-week long adventure. Before we reach the end, I’d like to say “Thank You” once again, to April of Abby Sweets for this wonderful idea. Its been a fun 12 weeks, challenging sometimes, but a lovely opportunity to meet some lovely people make some wonderful friends along the way.
This week, I’d like to showcase something that is quite popular in India during Christmas. Its a little cookie called the ‘Nankatai’. It has a lovely taste and is a favorite with kids and adults alike. Today, I will share with you one of the recipes that I use for this cookie. Please forgive the image quality, a mobile phone camera was used to capture this.
Nankatais
Ingredients –
300g all purpose flour
200g powdered or superfine sugar
200g Dalda (This is a brand of vegetable shortening, also called vanaspati. If this is not available, you can use clarified butter)
¼ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Rose essence
Method –
Heat the Dalda to dissolve the grainy portions the previous night. Don’t let it smoke. Leave it to cool overnight. Cream the Dalda with the palm of your hand in a steel plate. Add sugar creaming well. Then add flour, baking powder and rose essence. Knead into a dough. Keep for a few hours. Then shape as desired and bake in a moderate hot oven, approx 150°C for 15 – 20 minutes. To check if done, check the bottom of a cookie for slight brownness. Immediately take out of oven. Don’t let the nankatais change colour.
NOTE: Add the sugar and the flour gradually, creaming continuously. Place the nankatais on a tray that has been greased with clarified butter and lightly dusted with flour.
If you choose to decorate the cookie, here’s a recipe for royal icing that I use. Please ensure that the cookie has cooled completely before icing.
Royal Icing
1 egg white
A few drops of lemon juice or citric acid
A few drops of essence
Icing sugar
Method –
Beat the egg white. Add lemon juice and essence. Gradually add icing sugar a little at a time till stiff peaks form. Cover and keep till ready to use. Add food coloring as desired. Use this to decorate the cookie.
Don’t forget to spend some time to check out what the others have come up with this week!
Week 11 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:
