Vaisakhi di Lakh Lakh Vadhaiyan!
Last Sunday was Vaisakhi, probably the most important Sikh holiday of the year which occurs on the Panjabi Spring festival and commemorates the birth of the Khalsa Panth or "order of the pure ones" and the institutions of the 5 Ks and baptism by Amrit "nectar". These were created on this day in 1699 by the tenth guru Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, who also installed the holy book Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj as the eleventh and everlasting Guru of the Sikh faith.
To celebrate the occasion, the little Kaur and I decided to create a new tradition of making Khanda cookies: shortbread discs festooned with the Khanda, the symbol of Sikhism. These had to be eggless so that they could be shared with all the members of the congregation at the Gurdwara or Sikh temple.
But how to make them special?
We decided on the fragrant flavor of elaichi or cardamom to enhance the buttery flakiness. The result was a crumbly, scented cookie that went superbly with a cup of tea.
Here's the recipe, in case you want to try to make them yourself, for Vaisakhi, or for any other reason. This will make about eighteen large cookies.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 lb lightly salted butter (room temp)
2 teaspoons strongly brewed masala chai or other tea that takes your fancy. Cooled.
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
4 tsp (preferably freshly ground) ground cardamom
Method:
Cream the butter and sugar in the large bowl of a standing mixer on medium speed. Add the tea and mix until incorporated. Add the flour, salt and cardamom. Mix on low speed until dough just pulls together. Do not over-work or you will get a tough biscuit...this is true of the whole process, so watch out!
Divide the dough between two flattened blocks and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for about 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 250 F/120C
Retrieve from the fridge one block at a time and roll out a third at a time on a floured board and with a floured rolling pin. You may want to roll out between two pieces of parchment paper, if you find the dough sticks to the pin too much.
Act quickly so as not to let the dough get too warm and sticky.
Cut out into shapes that take your fancy or simply cut into diamonds with a sharp knife. Carefully place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cookies are firm and take on a sandy appearance. The cookies will not take on much color and won't spread much either.
Cool on a cooling rack and store in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for about a week!
Last Sunday was Vaisakhi, probably the most important Sikh holiday of the year which occurs on the Panjabi Spring festival and commemorates the birth of the Khalsa Panth or "order of the pure ones" and the institutions of the 5 Ks and baptism by Amrit "nectar". These were created on this day in 1699 by the tenth guru Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, who also installed the holy book Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj as the eleventh and everlasting Guru of the Sikh faith.
To celebrate the occasion, the little Kaur and I decided to create a new tradition of making Khanda cookies: shortbread discs festooned with the Khanda, the symbol of Sikhism. These had to be eggless so that they could be shared with all the members of the congregation at the Gurdwara or Sikh temple.
But how to make them special?
We decided on the fragrant flavor of elaichi or cardamom to enhance the buttery flakiness. The result was a crumbly, scented cookie that went superbly with a cup of tea.
Here's the recipe, in case you want to try to make them yourself, for Vaisakhi, or for any other reason. This will make about eighteen large cookies.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 lb lightly salted butter (room temp)
2 teaspoons strongly brewed masala chai or other tea that takes your fancy. Cooled.
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
4 tsp (preferably freshly ground) ground cardamom
Method:
Cream the butter and sugar in the large bowl of a standing mixer on medium speed. Add the tea and mix until incorporated. Add the flour, salt and cardamom. Mix on low speed until dough just pulls together. Do not over-work or you will get a tough biscuit...this is true of the whole process, so watch out!
Divide the dough between two flattened blocks and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for about 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 250 F/120C
Retrieve from the fridge one block at a time and roll out a third at a time on a floured board and with a floured rolling pin. You may want to roll out between two pieces of parchment paper, if you find the dough sticks to the pin too much.
Act quickly so as not to let the dough get too warm and sticky.
Cut out into shapes that take your fancy or simply cut into diamonds with a sharp knife. Carefully place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cookies are firm and take on a sandy appearance. The cookies will not take on much color and won't spread much either.
Cool on a cooling rack and store in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for about a week!
