Maamoul with Date Filling (Middle Eastern Cookies / Pastries)

          Maamoul is a traditional Middle Eastern style cookies / pastries stuffed with  dates and dry fruits. They are also filled with ground pistachios. It is made of semolina, all purpose flour, melted butter and oil. Cardamom powder and rose water are used for some flavor. They are shaped in particular wooden molds. However, silicone ones can also be used. 

          In case of non-availability of molds, you can make any design with a fork. These Maamouls are particularly very popular during Eid, Easter festivals or as a tea time snack. They are also perfect as gifts for your loved ones. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these yummy melt in the mouth cookies. 

Dough - 

• 1 cup semolina
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. corn flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. rose water
• warm milk, as required, to knead

Filling - 

• 100 gms. soft dates, pitted & chopped
• 2 tbsp. almonds & pistachios, powdered
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp. rose water

          In a mixing bowl, take the semolina, melted butter and oil. Mix well and cover it with a cling film. Refrigerate overnight.

          Then fluff it up with a fork. Add the all purpose four, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, rose water and cardamom powder. Give it a nice mix.

          Add milk, little at a time and knead into a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

          Meanwhile, process the dates and transfer to a plate or bowl. 

          Add the powdered pistachios and almonds, cardamom powder and rose water. Mix well and make small balls out of them.

          Make equal size balls of the semolina dough (double the size of the date balls).

          Meanwhile, line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 200 degrees C. for 10 minutes. 

          Take a flour dough ball and make an incision in the centre. Then place a date ball in it and cover all edges. Roll into a ball. Make similar balls out of the remaining dough.

          Take each stuffed ball and press it into a Maamoul mold. Gently remove them. 

          Then arrange them on the baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 200 degrees C. for 20-25 minutes or till they turn slightly brown on the surface

         When done, cool them on a rack and then store in an air-tight container. Enjoy as a tea time snack or gift them on festive occasions like Eid or Easter.

Note - 

In case of non-availability of molds, you can go ahead and make any design with a fork. 

In a mixing bowl, take the semolina, melted butter & oil. Mix well & cover it with a cling film. 

                    Refrigerate overnight. Then fluff it up with a fork.

Add the all purpose four, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, rose water & cardamom powder. Give it a nice mix.

Add milk, little at a time & knead into a soft dough. Cover & refrigerate for an hour.

               Meanwhile, process the dates and transfer to a plate or bowl. 

Add the powdered pistachios & almonds, cardamom powder & rose water.

                  Mix well & make small balls out of them.

Make equal size balls of the semolina dough (double the size of the date balls).

Take a flour dough ball & make an incision in the centre. Then place a date ball in it and cover all edges. Roll into a ball. Make similar balls out of the remaining dough.

 Take each stuffed ball & press it into a Maamoul mold. Gently remove them. 

               Arrange them on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees C. for 20-25 minutes or till they turn slightly brown on the surface. Cool them on a rack & then store in an air-tight container.

Enjoy as a tea time snack or gift them on festive occasions like Eid or Easter.

Whole Wheat Flour Cookies in Pressure Cooker

          No oven? No problem. You can now dish out these amazing cookies in a pressure cooker. So let me share my first attempt at making few whole wheat flour cookies that I relished as an evening tea-time snack. It is very easy and simple to make. 

          You just need some salt to be placed in the pressure cooker for the cookies to be baked and in no time you have yummy home baked goodies to be devoured as a tea-time / party snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (makes around 14)
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup chilled butter
• 1/4 cup milk or as required
• melted butter / ghee
• few sliced pistachios 
• 2 cups salt

          In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamom powder. Then add the butter and mix well so that it now resembles breadcrumbs.

          Add the cardamom powder and milk, little at a time and knead into a dough. Divide into small equal portions. Give a round flat shape to each of them and make few slits with a knife. 

          Place a pinch of the sliced pista in the centre and arrange them in a greased idli stand. Place the salt in the bottom of a pressure cooker and place a stand over it.

          Preheat the cooker on a medium flame for 10 minutes. Now gently place the idli stand in it and close with the lid, but without the vent.

          Cook on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Keep checking for doneness. Switch off the flame and let it remain as it is for another 5 minutes. 

           Brush with some melted butter / ghee and cool them on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Serve as a tea-time snack or as and when desired. 


    

                         Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & cardamom powder. 

                                 Then add the butter and mix well....

                               .....so that it now resembles breadcrumbs.

                                 Add the cardamom powder 

                            & milk & knead into a dough. Divide into small equal portions. 

                     Give a round flat shape to each of them & make few slits with a knife. 
                     Place a pinch of the sliced pista in the centre. 

                   Place some salt in the bottom of a pressure cooker & place a stand over it. 
                   Preheat the cooker on a medium flame for 10 minutes.

                    Arrange them in a greased idli stand. Place the idli stand in the cooker.

                    Close with lid, without the vent. Cook on a low flame for 15 minutes.
                   Switch off flame & let it remain as it is for another 5 minutes. 

                     Brush with some melted butter / ghee & cool them on a wire rack. Store 
                     them in an airtight container. 

                                Serve as a tea-time snack or as and when desired. 

Eggless Whole Wheat Jeera Biscuits (Cumin Cookies)

           If you are looking for some easy to bake healthy homemade biscuits, then this recipe is just for you. It is prepared with whole wheat flour (Atta) along with crushed cumin seeds and olive oil besides other basic ingredients. 

          Perfect for an evening tea-time snack, they can also be devoured anytime you feel like munching into something savoury. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these delicate crispy bites.

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed coarsely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• milk as required to knead

          In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, cumin seeds, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Then add the olive oil and combine to form a crumbly mix.

          Add milk little at a time and knead into a dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest for 25-30 minutes. 

          Meanwhile, line the baking tray with a parchment paper and keep aside. Roll the dough into a circle by dusting some flour. (The thickness of the biscuits should not be too thick or too thin).

          Cut into different shapes with a cookie cutter and arrange them on the baking tray. Sprinkle some more of the cumin and press well. 

          Bake the biscuits in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C. for 13-15 minutes. Gather the remaining dough and roll out again. Cut them further with the cutter and in the same manner use up all the dough. 

          After baking, set them aside to cool down before storing in an air tight container. Enjoy these healthy and yummy whole wheat biscuits just as it is or as a tea-time snack.


          

                         Mix flour, cumin seeds, salt, sugar, baking powder & baking soda. 

                                Add olive oil & combine to form a crumbly mix.

                               Add milk, little at a time, & knead into a dough. 

                             Cover with a wet muslin cloth & let it rest for 25-30 minutes. 

               Roll dough into a circle by dusting some flour. Cut into different shapes with
               a cookie cutter.

                 Arrange them on the baking tray. Sprinkle some more cumin seeds & press well. 

                             Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C. for 13-15 minutes.

                               After it is baked.

              Enjoy these healthy & yummy whole wheat biscuits just as it is or as a tea-
              time snack.