Recipies

Thambuttu cookies by Shalini Nanda

• 175 gms thambuttu podi (see thambuttu recipe)
• 120 gms ripe banana, mashed
• 60 gms  sucanat or 50 gms turbinado sugar
• 60gms freshly grated coconut
• 30 gms ghee, melted
• 1/8 tsp freshly powdered cardamom
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup brown sesame (raw)

Preheat your oven to 350°C. Prepare a cookie sheet to hold about 20 small cookies.

Mix all the ingredients except the sesame together to make a soft dough. Make small balls of the dough and dip one half in the sesame. Flatten the balls slightly as you place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and remove to a wire rack.

Bite into one while it’s still warm and let that thambuttu deliciousness waft over you. Even better, pair this with a hot cup of coffee, sweetened with palm jaggery.

These cookies will soften over a couple of days. They’re still good – they then taste like kajjaya!

*If you’re unfamiliar with the texture of cookies made with rice flour, these may seem a little crumbly and grainy compared to those made with wheat flour.I wouldn’t change this here, because that slight graininess is something that I enjoy in the original thambuttu. I’m still working on refining this recipe and I’d appreciate any feedback from readers who try this recipe out.