For this Deepavali, make these delicious Chocolate Nankhatais instead of the regular Deepavali Sweets. Trust me, you will simply love it! I have been wanting to start my Diwali preparation for a week now. I have been simply deliberating on what to make. I knew I had to make some chocolate dishes as well. And knew any of those regular sweets won't have so much demand as a chocolate might. With my sil and her family visiting us this Deepavali, I know it's going to be a hectic weekend and quite elaborate cooking in progress. I was planning to make some Murukkus, but Athamma told me not to bother as my sil is making them for us. So now I have to think of something else.
Now coming to these Nankhatais, I have the regular ones Nankhatais made and this is almost the same, except some besan added and along with the vanaspati, you add a bit of ghee. I have tried another version with just ghee and it had turned out so awesome. I am not at liberty to share that recipe as the friend is planning to publish that recipe. That was one of the dishes I had made last year when we visited our relatives. This year, apart from this cookies, I will have to check out for something else as well.
The weekend passed in a wink as always. I know I shouldn't even complain that days fly. Off late, I have been planning to cook all my week long ones during the weekend. So you can see a scattered, brain dead person, running (as if I could) around, trying to get as much as I could. The only problem with this pattern is, I end up being handicapped with a dead creative streak. You can know that by the repetitive props, settings etc. In the end nothing matters, as long as the dish is clicked. I almost do a check mentally and this time I was actually wondering there was something wrong!
Was there a competition that I was participating in or what? Well, that's life in the end for you. All this musing is not a result of trying not to get distracted with the Life of Pie that everybody was watching last night. Kids were highly amused by the way the movie was going. We reprimanded them that they ought not to laugh at somebody's sorrow. The fun part was, they didn't understand that. I can hardly expect seven-year-olds to understand that right. Anyway, I was working, trying to sneak back to see what Pi was doing, as I was working. In the end, the reality of the movie does hit you hard and you are left wondering if it's a lesson learned well or not.
While I wonder about such things, I leave you to enjoy these Chocolate Nankhatais. I was inspired to make these after reading about it here.
Before leaving you with the recipe, here is the list of Sweets and Savories for Deepavali
Chocolate Nankhatai Recipe
Ingredients
All purpose flour / Maida - 1 & 1/2 cup
Gram flour / Besan - 2 tbsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
a pinch of salt
Cardamom powder a pinch
Dry ginger powder / Soonti - small pinch
Powdered sugar - 3/4 - 1 cup
Vanaspati - 3/4 cup - 1 cup
Choco chips for topping
How to make the Chocolate Nankhatai
Preheat the oven at 185 C
In a bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, besan and baking powder. Add cardamom, ginger powder. Mix all nicely.
Melt the vanaspati, add sugar and cream well.
Now add the dry ingredients slowly and knead well.
Mix all until appearing like bread crumbs. Make sure the fat is melted.
Now knead into a smooth dough.
Cover and keep the dough aside for ten mins. Shape into marble-sized balls and slightly flatten it. Ensure there are no cracks.
Roll the shaped biscuit over choco chips. Alternatively, you could place few choco chips over the top.
Place the biscuit over a greased tray or lined with baking paper, muffin pans.
Bake at 180°C for 15 - 20 mins Or until they are baked.
Allow them to cool.
Once cool store biscuits into an airtight jar
Notes
While making the dough, you can use little milk to get a smooth dough. I didn't use
Ensure the dough is smooth and nor too soft nor too firm.
If your kids like buts, you can add them to the dough.
You could chill the dough into freezer. Thaw for 30 mins then read to use.
My first batch took about 20 mins to get done, while the second batch was done in 15 mins. After 12 mins, you can check how it turns out. If it is still very soft to touch, then it would require another 5 mins.
Priya Suresh says
Pack me some Valli, i want those chocolate nankhattais..
Rebecca Subbiah says
looks so good happy diwali