How to make iranian Shrini Nokhodchi

Shirini Nokhodchi is a popular and highly favored cookie for the Persian New Year (Nowruz). Follow this tutorial from the website Chi Shi to learn how to make these cookies.

Ingredients for Shirini Nokhodchi:

• Chickpea flour: 500 grams
• Powdered sugar: 150 grams
• Vegetable oil: 200 grams
• Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon
• Nigella seeds: as needed

Instructions:

First, if you don’t have vegetable oil, melt 200 grams of solid oil over heat and allow it to cool and solidify. Sift the chickpea flour, powdered sugar, and cardamom powder together, then mix well until uniform.

Next, add the vegetable oil to the chickpea flour mixture and combine by hand until the dough comes together and holds its shape. Note that this dough is much drier than other cookie doughs.

Now, use an electric mixer to mix the dough until it becomes smooth and uniform. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can run the dough through a grinder four times or knead it by hand for about 30 minutes until it takes shape.

After the dough is ready, place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray and flatten the dough on a smooth surface. The thickness of the dough is up to personal preference, but the standard thickness for Shirini Nokhodchi is about 2 centimeters.

If you prefer thinner cookies, you can make them about 1 centimeter thick. Once the dough is flattened, cut it with your desired cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to the baking tray using a knife.

Finally, after arranging all the cookies on the parchment paper, sprinkle some nigella seeds, pistachio powder, or camelthorn seeds on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 degrees Celsius (347 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 to 20 minutes until the cookies are ready.

Once the cookies are done baking, wait for them to cool completely before transferring them to your desired container. You can store these cookies in the refrigerator for up to one to two weeks.

Tips for making Shirini Nokhodchi without an oven:

Place a large pot on low heat and use a flame diffuser underneath. Put a trivet inside the pot and heat it for 15 to 20 minutes with the lid on until it gets very hot.

After the pot is heated, place the cut cookies on a suitable-sized tray and put it on the trivet inside the pot. Use a towel on the pot’s lid to prevent heat from escaping, helping the cookies cook faster.

It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the cookies to bake. Once the bottom of the cookies turns golden, they are done. After baking, don’t touch the cookies as they will crumble easily. Wait for them to cool, then collect them.

translated from a persian recipe from : https://chishi.ir/1201-shirini-nokhodchi/