Pistachio and Cardamom Biscuits

Even today, street hawkers in the old quarter of many cities will carry or push makeshift charcoal ovens fashioned out of tin drums. Biscuits such as nan khatai are baked on the go in these ovens and sold while still warm in paper bags. Roopa has added semolina to this dough for crunch and a little gram flour to provide toasty flavour and crumbly texture.
Cooking Time
40

Ingredients

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Ingredient

  • g Pistachio Nuts
  • g Self-raising flour, sifted
  • g Fine semolina
  •   tsp Baking powder
  •   Pinch of Sea Salt
  •   Green cardamom pods, seeds removed
  • g Icing sugar
  • g Unsalted Butter, softened

For the Topping

  •   tbsp Pistachio Nuts, roughly chopped
  •   tsp Granulated Sugar

  • 1

    Step 1

    Put the pistachio nuts in a food processor with the flour, gram flour, semolina, baking powder and salt and process until the nuts are finely ground.
  • 2

    Step 2

    In a mortar, using the pestle, grind the cardamom seeds with 1 teaspoon of the icing sugar to a powder. Leave to one side.
  • 3

    Step 3

    Beat the butter, remaining icing sugar and the ground cardamom until creamy, then stir in the dry ingredients, gently bringing everything together with your hands to a soft dough.
  • 4

    Step 4

    Using your hands, divide and shape the dough into 3cm-diameter balls and arrange them on baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving room for the biscuits to spread as they bake.
  • 5

    Step 5

    Slightly flatten the top of each ball with your fingers and press a few chopped pistachio nuts in the middle, then sprinkle with sugar. Put the trays in the fridge for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan.
  • 6

    Step 6

    Bake the biscuits for 20–25 minutes, until golden, then leave them on the trays for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once they are completely cooled, store in an airtight box.

Ingredients

  • 25 g Pistachio Nuts
  • 40 g Self-raising flour, sifted
  • 20 g Fine semolina
  • 0.5 tsp Baking powder
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • 6 Green cardamom pods, seeds removed
  • 40 g Icing sugar
  • 100 g Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp Pistachio Nuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar

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