Bakarkhani is the gift of the Mughals to India, along with many other delicious dishes,” says Romy Gill, author of a new cookbook dedicated to the region of Kashmir.
“Across India, bakarkhani keep changing in texture, size and shape. When I was in Kashmir, I got to taste a couple of different kinds: one made bakery-style with puff pastry, and the other made with plain flour, milk and ghee, more like a biscuit. I used egg wash to glaze them, but some use milk.”
Bakarkhani – sweet puff pastry biscuits
Makes: 5-6
Ingredients:
Plain flour, for dusting
300g puff pastry (ready-made)
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp demerara sugar
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/400F/gas 6).
2. On a lightly dusted work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle of about 30x10cm, then cut lengthways into five to six long strips.
3. Roll up each strip into a swirl, then press with your palm to form a round about three to four centimetres thick. Place them on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Serve with Kashmiri tea.
‘On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes And Stories From Kashmir And Ladakh’ by Romy Gill (published by Hardie Grant, £27; photography by Matt Russell), available now.
