Kulche khetayeeCardamom pistachio shortbread
When guests come to an Afghan home over Nowruz or the days of Eid, they are poured green tea and offered a plate of kulche khetayee, crumbly round shortbreads that dissolve on the tongue. In Kabul the dough is made with clarified butter or oil, icing sugar and cardamom, and each biscuit is topped with a pinch of ground pistachio before baking very gently so they stay pale. The common mistake is baking too hot: the biscuits should be cream-coloured, not golden, or they lose their melting texture. Chef's tip: let them cool fully on the tray, because they are too fragile to move while warm.
























