Indian shortbread "Nankhatai"

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)

- 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)

- 1/2 cup semolina (sooji/rava)

- 1 cup powdered sugar

- 1 cup ghee (clarified butter) or unsalted butter, at room temperature

- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi)

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- A pinch of salt

- Chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios) for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. **Preheat Oven**: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. **Mix Dry Ingredients**: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, gram flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.

3. **Cream Ghee and Sugar**: In another bowl, cream the ghee and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. **Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients**: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the ghee and sugar mixture. Mix until it forms a smooth dough. If the dough is too crumbly, you can add a little more ghee.

5. **Shape the Dough**: Divide the dough into small equal-sized balls. Flatten each ball slightly and place them on the prepared baking tray, leaving some space between each cookie. You can garnish each cookie with chopped nuts, pressing them slightly into the dough.

6. **Bake**: Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.

7. **Cool**: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. **Serve**: Once cooled, store the Nankhatai in an airtight container. They can be enjoyed with tea or as a sweet snack anytime.

Enjoy your homemade Nankhatai! 

BAKING HACKS 

1. **Measure Ingredients Accurately**: Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients accurately, especially the flour and ghee. This ensures consistency and the right texture.

2. **Sift Dry Ingredients**: Always sift your dry ingredients to avoid lumps and ensure a smooth, even mixture.

3. **Chill the Dough**: After forming the dough, let it chill in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. This helps in firming up the dough, making it easier to shape and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

4. **Ghee Consistency**: Use room temperature ghee, which is in a semi-solid state. If the ghee is too melted or too solid, it will affect the dough consistency.

5. **Avoid Overmixing**: When combining the dry ingredients with the ghee and sugar mixture, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.

6. **Even Sizes**: Use a cookie scoop or measure the dough balls to ensure they are all the same size. This ensures even baking.

7. **Flatten Slightly**: Gently flatten the dough balls before baking. This helps them bake evenly and achieve the traditional Nankhatai shape.

8. **Nuts as a Decoration**: Press the nuts gently into the dough balls to ensure they stick and don’t fall off after baking.

9. **Watch the Baking Time**: Keep a close eye on the Nankhatai in the oven. They should be light golden brown around the edges. Overbaking can make them too hard.

10. **Cool on Tray First**: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They are fragile when hot and firm up as they cool.

11. **Store Properly**: Store Nankhatai in an airtight container once completely cooled. They can stay fresh for up to two weeks.

12. **Flavor Variations**: Experiment with different flavors by adding a pinch of saffron, rose water, or nutmeg along with the cardamom powder.

Using these hacks can help you achieve a perfect batch of delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Nankhatai.

NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN 

 (per cookie):

- **Calories**: 115

- **Total Fat**: 7.5g

  - **Saturated Fat**: 4.5g

  - **Unsaturated Fat**: 2g

- **Cholesterol**: 15mg

- **Sodium**: 15mg

- **Total Carbohydrates**: 11g

  - **Dietary Fiber**: 0.5g

  - **Sugars**: 6g

- **Protein**: 1.5g

1. **Portion Size**: The nutritional values can vary depending on the exact size of each cookie.

2. **Ingredient Variations**: If you make substitutions (e.g., using less sugar, different types of flour, or alternative sweeteners), the nutritional values will change.

3. **Additional Ingredients**: Adding more nuts or other toppings can increase the calorie and fat content slightly.

For a more precise breakdown, you could use a nutritional calculator or database, entering the exact quantities of each ingredient used in your specific batch.