TIME: 35 MINUTES.
Pretty as a picture, these delectable disks are studded with jadelike pistachio nuts and are delicately scented with rose water. These cookies are a miracle of science, really; delicately flavored and somehow light and airy, chewy and crispy all at once. Lime juice and zest add a little citrus kick. A perfect end to your Persian feast, or even just some Middle Eastern takeout.
1 cups sugar
cup canola oil
3 tablespoons rice milk (soy is okay, too)
1 tablespoon rose water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
cup cornstarch
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
teaspoon salt
teaspoon ground cardamom
cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
The easiest way to chop pistachios is to pulse them in a food processor about twenty times. Otherwise, use a chef's knife on a cutting board and be gentle so that they don't shoot all over the place.
If you are aching to try these cookies but can't afford pistachios at the moment, replace them with chopped almonds.
PREHEAT THE oven to 350F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, rice milk, rose water, vanilla, lime juice, and zest. Add the cornstarch and whisk until dissolved.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Mix well.
Roll the dough into balls about 2 teaspoons in size (a bit smaller than a walnut) and dip the tops into the chopped pistachios. Press down with two fingers; the dough will flatten a bit and pistachios will collect on the bottom.
Place the cookies, nut side up, about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. You should be able to fit sixteen on a standard baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes; they will be soft but that's okay, they will firm up as they cool.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
CHEWY CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY COOKIES.
MAKES 2 DOZEN.
TIME: 35 MINUTES.
It's official-everyone loves the combination of chocolate and raspberry. These cookies are soft, dense, chewy, and just a little puffy. They're wonderful as ice-cream sandwich cookies.
cup raspberry preserves
1 cup sugar
cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa pow-
der (sifted if clumpy)
1 cups all-purpose flour
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon salt
PREHEAT THE oven to 350F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves, sugar, canola oil, vanilla, and almond extract.
In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the other ingredients. Add the dry to the wet in three batches, mixing well with a fork after each addition. When you get to the last batch, you may need to use your hands to work the batter into a soft and pliable dough.
Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and then flat ten them with your hands into 2-inch-diameter disks. Place on a cookie sheet (they need be only inch apart because they don't spread out when baking). Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. You can also serve these cookies still warm over a scoop of ice cream. Or three.
FIG SMUSHED-ANISE-ALMOND COOKIES.