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Nankhatai (Semolina Shortbread)

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Nankhatai from cookbook Pakistan
Photo by Sonny Thakur

I often joke that if there is anything that will bring Bangladeshis, Indians, and Pakistanis together, it is their love for nankhatai. A delicate, crumbly shortbread, nankhatai came out of a Dutch-owned bakery that was passed on to a Parsi man in Gujarat state in India. Since then, it has become a staple in bakeries across the subcontinent. Unlike American cookies, nankhatai are only slightly sweetened and best served with tea.

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