Eggless Dates-based Nankhatai (Indian shortbread cookies)

Inspired by the recipe here: http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/nankhatai-recipe/

Ingredients

• 1 cup Maida or all purpose Flour
• ¼ cup Besan/gram flour
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tbsp Sooji/Rava/Cream of Wheat
• ⅛ tsp Nutmeg powder
• ½ tsp Cardamom powder
• ½ cup Ghee
• ½ cup Sugar
• 10 Dates
• Quarter cup Milk
• Few Almonds or Dates, chopped
• Decorative Sugar

Method

1. Grind Dates with Milk till it is a smooth mixture. Keep it aside.
2. Cream the Ghee and Sugar in a food processor.
3. Mixture should become smooth, light and creamy.
4. Sift the the following dry ingredients - maida or all purpose flour, gram flour/besan, baking powder and baking soda. keep the sifted dry ingredients aside.
5. add milk/dates ground mixture to the creamed ghee+sugar mixture. mix very well.
6. now add the sifted dry ingredients. also add the sooji/rava/cream of wheat, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder.
7. gently mix everything. do not knead. just mix and gather to a smooth dough. if the mixture is too crumbly and you cannot bring together to a dough, then add 1 to 3 tbsp of milk. mix lightly and bring the mixture to a dough.
8. pinch medium sized balls from the dough.
9. roll them evenly in your palms. slightly flatten them. press decorative sugar and/or almonds on the top lightly.
10. you can also make some criss cross designs on the nankhatais with a fork or toothpick.
11. place the cookies in a baking tray.
12. keep some space between them as they expand while baking.
13. bake the nankhatai in a pre heated oven at 350F for 25 mins till light golden.
14. remove and place them on wire racks.