PERSIAN CHICKPEA BISCUITS

 

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This Recipe Makes ± 28 Biscuits

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Persian Chickpea Biscuits also known as Nan-e Nokhodchi is a Persian or more specifically, an Iranian biscuit (cookie) that is usually made for Nowrouz, the Persian New Year.

Don’t let the chickpea component put you off. The chickpea flour will result in a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit & I personally feel like they are a mix of chana magaj & naan khattais when it comes to the taste – and who doesn’t love those two sweet treats already!

I first tasted these at a small Iranian Bakery back when I resided in Dubai & it was absolutely divine that I now make them so often.

This is also a great bake to gift someone & also perfect for those Eid & Diwali/Deepavali parcels.

 

Persian Chickpea Biscuits Ingredients:

• 130 grams butter / margarine, room temperature
• 2 cups chickpea (chana/besan/gram) flour
• 1 teaspoon elachi (cardamom) powder
• 1 cup icing (confectionery) sugar
• ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour for dipping cookie cutter
• pistachios for decorating (optional)

Method:

1. Firstly, be sure that the butter or margarine is at room temperature.
2. 
3. For this recipe, the main ingredient is Chickpea Flour. It is also referred to as Chana, Gram or Besan flour & can be found at local Indian spice stores.
4. 
5. Line a baking tray with baking paper & set aside.
6. 
7. Add the butter or margarine to a mixing bowl.
8. 
9. Add in the icing (confectionery) sugar.
10. 
11. Cream the butter / margarine & the icing (confectionery) sugar. This can be done by hand using a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer.
12. 
13. Once creamed, add in the Chickpea (Chana, Gram or Besan) flour.
14. 
15. Add in the cardamom (elachie) powder.
16. 
17. Mix using a wooden spoon.
18. 
19. Next, use your hands to bring the dough together.
20. 
21. Next, wrap the dough in plastic wrap.
22. 
23. Allow the dough to rest for 6 hours at room temperature. This will allow the dough to soften & retain the moisture.
24. 
25. After 6 hours of resting, remove the plastic wrap.
26. 
27. At this point, go ahead & preheat oven to 150° Celsius or 302° Fahrenheit.
28. Place a sheet of wax or parchment paper onto a working surface.
29. 
30. Place the dough over the wax or parchment paper & lay another sheet over the dough.
31. 
32. 
33. Flatten the dough using your hands.
34. 
35. Use a rolling pin & roll out the dough leaving about 2-3 centimeters height in them.
36. 
37. Grab a small cookie cutter of your choice & add a little all-purpose or cake flour to a bowl.
38. 
39. Dip the cookie cutter into the bowl of flour.
40. 
41. Press the biscuit (cookie) cutters into the dough, cutting out as many shapes as you can. Dip the cutter into the flour so that it doesn’t stick onto the dough.
42. 
43. 
44. Once the shapes are cut out, bring the remaining dough together, roll & cut out more shapes until all the dough has been used.
45. 
46. 
47. 
48. Place the cut out dough onto the lined baking tray.
49. 
50. 
51. They may be baked as is but I prefer to take them a step further & top them off with pistachios.
52. 
53. 
54. Bake them for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven at 180° Celsius.
55. 
56. Once baked, do not attempt to touch them. Allow them to cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking tray. They are very fragile, airy & pillow like as soon as they are baked & they need to cool down in order to harden.
57. 
58. Once cooled & hardened, these Persian Chickpea Biscuits are ready to be plated & served.
59. 
60. Store these Persian Chickpea Biscuits in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
61. 
62. They are crunchy & super delicious.
63. 
64. 
65. They make for beautiful gifts or eid & diwali parcels.
66. 
67. If you enjoyed these Persian Chickpea Biscuits, you may also enjoy these varieties of biscuits (cookies).