Nankhatai facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Kulcha-e-Khataye |
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| Type | Shortbread |
| Place of origin | India |
| Associated national cuisine | India, Bangladesh, Pakistan |
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour, Rice flour, Butter, Powdered Sugar, Milk/Yogurt, Salt, Honey, Baking Powder |
Nankhatai (Hindi: नानख़ताई, Urdu: نان خطائی) are tasty shortbread biscuits. They come from the Indian subcontinent and are very popular in Northern India and Pakistan. The name Nankhatai comes from two words. Naan is a Persian word meaning bread. Khatai is a Dari Persian word meaning biscuit.
In Afghanistan and Northeast Iran, these biscuits are called Kulcha-e-Khataye. A Kulcha is a type of bread from the Indian subcontinent, similar to Naan.
The Story of Nankhatai
Nankhatai biscuits are thought to have started in Surat, India, way back in the 1500s. At that time, Dutch and Indian traders were very busy with spices. A Dutch couple opened a bakery in Surat to make bread for the Dutch people living there.
When the Dutch left India, they gave their bakery to an Iranian person. But the local people did not like the biscuits from this bakery. To save his business, the baker started selling dried bread at very low prices. People really liked this dried bread!
So, the baker began drying the bread before selling it. Over time, he kept trying new things with his bread. This experimentation eventually led to the creation of the delicious Nankhatai we know today. The main ingredients in Nankhatai are usually refined flour, chickpea flour, and semolina.
See also
In Spanish: Nankhatai para niños
