Naan Khatai {Indian Eggless Cookie}

Naan Khatai {Indian Eggless Cookie}

Naan Khatai {Indian Eggless Cookie} is a close cousin of Dutch Butter Biscuit, or if I may say…Indian adapted version of Dutch butter biscuits.

When Dutch started trading in India, near the end of 16th century, they set up their own bakery in Surat, the biggest trading port then, to trade with western world. When the establishment left from India, they handed over their bakery to Dotivalas.

Dotivalas, then adapted the original Dutch bakery recipes to suit the Indian taste and invented interesting tea time snacks. For example, Puff Pastry became Khari biscuits, Surati Batasa or Savory Dutch Butter Biscuits and Naan Khatai where they added gram flour and ghee to the Dutch butter biscuit and made them friendly to Indian consumers.

If you go to any bakery in Gujarat, these three are staple with evening tea time. Later Irani Cafés (run by Persian immigrants in India), also adopted them and now they are staple in western India and around.

Wasn’t that an interesting Trivia? I love stories and history attached with food.

Naan khatai travelled a bit more and landed to north and south as well, with great fame :).

I have very fond memories associated with Naan Khatai. It was not regular in my town. We have something called Numaish which means exhibition in Urdu language.

Numaish has been happening in my town since 1881, earlier with the name of Imperial Horse Show, organized by Britishers for the show-casing of best polo and riding horses. Since 1955, it is now famous as Cultural, Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition.

Well the point is, Naan Khatai was available to us only once a year, during Numaish. We loved it and ate like buckets full since we knew that it will be gone for an year then :).

I had blogged Kesari Naan Khatai in November 2013. It was a slightly different recipe using Ghee. So if you want to go the authentic route, follow that recipe.

The textures and flavors of this Naan Khatai are different from the above, but they are very pleasing. I developed this recipe using more of besan and used butter instead of ghee. it is a very simple few ingredients recipe, that will become staple in your house.

I have used – 

Besan / Gram Flour

All purpose flour

Butter

Sugar

Cardamom powder

Baking Powder

Salt

Mixing Bowls

Electric Beater

Cookie Sheets

Parchment paper – love this pre cut paper. no mess.

Cooling Racks

This is how I made it.

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5 from 1 vote

Naan Khatai {Indian Eggless Cookie}

Naan Khatai is an Indian eggless cookie which uses gram flour or besan as one of the main ingredients.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 bite size

Author Sonal Gupta @ simplyvegetarian777

Ingredients

• All Pupose flour / Maida - 2/3 cup
• Besan / Gram flour - 1/3 cup
• Butter - 1/3 cup melted and room temperature
• Sugar - 1/3 cup
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Yogurt - 1 tbsp room temperature
• salt - a pinch
• Cardamom / Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garnish - Cardamom powder crushed pistachio and almonds

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350f or 180C. Keep a cookie tray ready with parchment paper.
• Take besan (gram flour), all purpose flour, baking powder and salt and sift in a bowl.
• Take another bowl and add butter + sugar in it. Beat the butter sugar mix with electric beater for about 2 minutes, till it becomes creamy.
• Now add all the dry ingredients to the butter sugar mix.
• Take a spoon or use hand and bring all the ingredients together in a dough. Don't knead it. Just bring it together.
• Now take 1/2 tbsp amount of batter in hands and press delicately in a disc (not too flat).
• Place the naan khatai 2 inches apart on cookie tray.
• Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
• Take these out of the oven and let rest in tray for 2 minutes.
• Now transfer them on cooling racks.
• Store in air tight container, once they cool down to room temperature.

In my kitchen, you will always BAKE HAPPY & STAY HAPPY!

Sonal