After Khalifa, Here Comes Jalalpur’s Coal-Baked Nankhatai

The combination of a sweet, buttery, and perfectly crumbly nankhatai with a steaming cup of tea is a tradition dating back to the 16th century, the traditional recipe requires baking in the oven but now in Jalalpur Jattan, a street vendor has introduced coal-baked nankhatai which is baked without a conventional oven.

جلالپور جٹاں کی مشہور خطائی کو Bake کرنے کا طریقہ.. 😍 pic.twitter.com/qiQw1eiF6M

— Sajid Sultan (@sajidsultan) December 29, 2020

Nankhatai is a desi biscuit that is a favorite in many households. In Jalalpur Jattan, nankhatai is now coal-baked and is selling like hotcakes by a roadside vendor.

When we talk about one of the best nankhtai in Pakistan, Khalifa Bakers in Lahore is one of the pioneers of introducing the biscuit in the country.

Not only is their nankhatai famous in Lahore but it has also reached across the major cities of Pakistan and is in great demand by the people.

According to legend, the traditional sweet biscuit was born in a bakery in Surat in India towards the end of the 16th century. The bakery had been set up by two Dutchmen to cater to Surat’s Dutch population. When the Dutch left India, this bakery was taken over by a Parsi man named Faramji Pestonji Dotivala.

Read Also

Maryam Visits Rahat Bakery, Aims Mingling With Lahoris?

Nankhatai combines semolina, butter, and fine wheat flour. The biscuits are often topped with egg wash glaze, cherries, jam tops, and nuts before being popped in the oven.

The literal meaning of the word nankhatai comes from the Persian word ‘naan’ meaning bread and the Afghan word ‘khatai’ meaning biscuit; hence, bread biscuit.