Khara Biscuit / Savory Biscuit

This biscuit reminds me of Iyengari bakery in Bangalore. There are some signature items made only in bakeries of karnataka, and This is one of those items. If you don't like eating the sweet version of biscuit, just cut the sugar and add a twist by blending green chillies and some herbs to make these amazingly tasty biscuits... the aroma which they emanate when they bake its sublime ... Makes an excellent snack for kids, great for tea parties and other informal occasions. Hmmm.... Here goes the recipe.

Prep time: 20 mins

Bake time: 15 to 20 mins

Servings: 16 to 20 pieces.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour/Maida - 2 Cups
2. Unsalted Butter/oil - 3/4 cups, if you use oil 1/4 to close to 1/2 cup will be enough. If you use slated butter, use less salt or no slat depending on your taste.
3. Salt - 1 tsp
4. Sugar - 2 tsp
5. Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
6. Yogurt - 2tbsp or the amount needed to make the dough.
7. Cilantro/ coriander leaves - 1/2 tbsp finely chopped
8. Green chillies - 6 to 8 finely chopped
9. Curry Leaves - 1/2 tbsp finely chopped
10. Dry feugreek leaves/kasuri methi - 1 tsp or you can use fresh finely chopped leaves 1/2 tbsp(optional)
11. Mint - 1/2 tbsp finely chopped (Optional) 
12. Dill leaves - 1/2 tbsp finely chopped (optional)
13. Carom seeds/ ajwain - 1/2 tsp 
14. Grated Ginger - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Sieve the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into a large plate or tray which will enable you to work with the flour easily.
• To the sieved flour, add pieces of butter and rub till the flour forms granules like semolina/rava. If you use oil, please use 1/2 the given quantity first. If you use all of it at once, it may make the dough instantly.. this will do the recipe no good. Keep in mind, you may not need all the oil...if 1/4 to 1/2 cup works then just use that. The oil absorption depends on the flour. The whole point is to blend fat and flour together to make a semolina like consistency.
• Now add all the chopped ingredients and rub a little more. Keep in mind to  do so gently, if you apply a lot of pressure while rubbing, the texture of the biscuit will go hard.
• Add yogurt little by little and start to make the dough. It should form a ball like the pie crust or chapati dough. You may need less or more yogurt to make the dough, so add it carefully.
• Now Divide the roll into two balls and roll them to 1/2 cm thick sheet. 
• Cut the Biscuits out into your desired shape and repeat the same process for the rest of the dough. You can use biscuit cutter to give them interesting shapes...
• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and dust a cookie sheet or a baking tray, arrange all these Cookies in it. Be sure to leave a little space between each of them as they expand while baking.
• Set it on the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes or till you see a light brown bottom of the cookie and golden brown top... 

They are ready to eat as soon as they cool.

Tips:

Use cold butter for extra flaky texture.

I have used less oil or butter coz i wanted to make it low fat. You may use slightly more butter if you need. I have used Whole wheat flour as well, you can try blending, 1/2 of all purpose and whole wheat...All whole wheat flour takes away from the good taste. If you are baking it for the first time, use all purpose flour, next trial you can use whole wheat or blend  :D.