Of Savory Cravings and Zeera Cookies

There are some tastes from your childhood that have such a firm grip on you that try as you might to resist, once you get the craving/urge ..it has be to be satiated . The above picture might have given you a clue that these cumin seed biscuits ( or cookies as we call them in the US ) have me fully entrapped in their power. Back in New York , whenever we went to our favorite desi area for the groceries (just a paltry 45 minutes drive ) , my feet used to drag me automatically to the aisle where they were neatly stacked for me to pick .

But here , in the Carolinas , having being bitten by the baking bug and the lack of the 45 minute drive, prompted me to bake these desi delights for myself . The fact that it was raining might have been a contributing factor too. So, after having dropped my daughter headed straight to then kitchen. After all, I wanted them Mr,Roy to have a sampling of them fresh from the oven when we both sat down for our first cup of tea for the day .

Many recipes call for roasting the cumin seeds before adding them to the  mixture but somehow I am not very fond of that method. I just mixed the jeera seeds with my dry ingredients (did add a good generous portion of them ). Once I had the crumb like consistency after mixing all my ingredients , simply engaged in some manual labor and kneaded it into a dough. That was followed by a brief  stint in the refrigerator . After the cooling experience,rolled the dough in a rectangular shape all the time ensuring that it was of uniform thickness . My favourite part was using a cookie cutter to cut into the desired shape.

No, I did not waste the left over dough . Simple rolled it up again and started  doing my favourite part again . In case , you guys have forgotten , it is  using cookie cutter to cut the dough to the desired shape.

Once , all my dough was used up, it was time to place the cookies sheets in the oven and wait for 20 minutes .

Another ten for the cooling on the wire rack and then they were quickly devoured by Mr, and Mrs. Roy.

Here is the recipe -

Ingredients -

2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter or 8 tbsp
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 salt
1 egg
4 tbsp cumin seeds

Method -

In a large bow , sieve all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt ) and to it add the cumin seeds.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Add the egg and keep beating.
Now, add the dry ingredients and mix till you have crumb like consistency.
Use your hands to knead the crumb like mixture to a dough form.
Keep it covered in the fridge for 20 mins.
Dust some flour on the work area and roll out the dough into a rectangular shape with uniform thickness and about 1/8 th of an inch.
Use cookie cutter to cut into desired shape and transfer to a baking tray.
Again roll the left over dough and cut desired shapes.
Repeat the step till the whole dough is used up.
Bake in the pre heated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 mins..I like them crisp !
Cool on a wire rack and enjoy !