Afghani shortbread (nankhatai)

Makes 20

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x1 x2 x3

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250ml sunflower or vegetable oil, gently warmed

120g icing sugar

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g plain flour

50g pistachios, very finely chopped

Put the warm oil and icing sugar in a large bowl and mix until well combined and smooth. Add the cardamom and vanilla and mix again.
Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon or gently knead with your hands until the mixture comes together into a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Using a tablespoon, scoop out small balls of the dough, roll them into neat balls between the palms of your hands and place on the lined baking trays, spaced a little bit apart. Press each dough ball lightly with your finger to put a little dent in the top (to sprinkle the pistachios into after baking).
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add a pinch of chopped pistachios into the indent you made in each cookie. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe taken from Blasta Books #3: The United Nations of Cookies by Jess Murphy and Eoin Cluskey

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