SAEDNEWS: Chickpea cookies are among Iran’s most beloved traditional sweets, known for their distinctive flavor and aroma and their special place in Iranian culinary culture. Chickpea cookies made with liquid oil are one of the many variations of this delicious Persian treat.
According to Saednews, Chickpea cookies (Shirini Nokhodchi) are among the most popular traditional Iranian sweets served during Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Despite what many people may think, making these delicate cookies does not require any special baking skills. With a few simple, readily available ingredients, you can easily prepare them at home.
While traditional recipes for authentic Shirini Nokhodchi are usually made with solid fats, this version uses liquid oil, making it a simple and practical method for preparing this classic Persian treat.
120 g chickpea flour
10 g all-purpose flour
A pinch of ground cardamom
45 g liquid vegetable oil
45 g powdered sugar
Ground pistachios, for decoration
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
While the oven is heating, combine the chickpea flour and all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture twice to aerate the flour and create a finer, smoother texture.
Add the powdered sugar and ground cardamom to the sifted flour. Mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
Pour the liquid oil into a suitable container and warm it gently, either in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. The oil should be slightly warm, not hot.
Add the lukewarm oil to the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until a smooth, uniform dough begins to form.
Continue kneading the dough by hand until it becomes cohesive and develops a smooth texture without cracks. This usually takes at least one minute.
The dough should hold together easily without being excessively greasy or crumbly.
Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or food-safe plastic.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to approximately 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick.
Cut the dough using your preferred cookie cutter. Traditional Persian chickpea cookies are commonly made with four-petal or five-petal flower-shaped cutters.
Arrange the shaped cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between them.
Sprinkle a small amount of ground pistachio over the cookies for decoration.
Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 12–15 minutes.
The cookies should be cooked through without becoming heavily browned.
Once the cookies are fully baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
These cookies are delicate while warm, so avoid moving them too much before they have cooled and firmed up.
Once completely cool, transfer them to a serving dish and enjoy.
Chickpea flour naturally contains less moisture than wheat flour. Using too much flour can therefore make the dough excessively dry and crumbly. Insufficient oil can have the same effect.
To prevent this, add flour gradually and knead the dough carefully until it reaches the desired consistency.
If the dough becomes too dry, add a small amount of liquid oil or softened butter. Add it little by little so the dough does not become overly greasy.
Using too much oil can make the dough excessively greasy and sticky. This can make shaping the cookies difficult and may leave the finished cookies unusually soft and oily.
For the best results, measure the oil accurately according to the recipe.
If the dough is still too sticky, gradually add a small amount of chickpea flour until the desired consistency is reached.
Another common problem is dough that becomes loose or overly soft. This is usually caused by adding too much oil.
An overly soft dough can cause the cookies to lose their shape during baking.
If this happens, place the dough in the refrigerator for a short time to allow it to firm up. Alternatively, add a small amount of chickpea flour until the dough becomes firm enough to handle.
