Spicy Biscuits/Kaara Biscuits

Kaara biscuits is bakery style spicy and salty cracker. This is popular in Kerala and my next favorite after butter biscuits/Nankattai- its sweet version. It is a perfect tea time snack too. These cookies are flavorful with spices,mint, fried onions and sesame seeds. It is light and crispy biscuits.You can also try egg less version of this recipe. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
All purpose flour- 2 cup
Salt- 1 tsp
Sugar- 2 tbs
Egg- 1
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Green chilly-finely chopped-2
Fried onion powder-1/4 cup (optional)
Grated ginger- 1 inch thick
Clove and cardamon powder- 1/3 tsp
Cumin powder- a pinch
Chopped coriander leaves and mint-2 tbs
Margarine- 1/2 stick
Vegetable oil- 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds- 2 tbs

In a bowl add flour,salt,sugar, baking powder, chilly powder, fried onion powder, clove and cardamon powder. Whisk it together till well combined.
Add room temperature butter and shortening into the flour. With a pasty blender or with your fingers rub it into the flour until the flour resembles course sand like mixture. Add the vegetable oil and well beaten egg. Mix until mixture looks damp and crumbly.
Add the chopped green chilly,coriander leaves, mint leaves and sesame seeds. Press handful of mixture to form balls. It should hold together and also easily break off when crumbled. Make small lemon-sized balls and place on a tray and refrigerate for half an hour.
Pre heat oven to 350 degree F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take each ball and arrange on baking sheet, placing each two inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes Rotate the pans from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.
Let the cookies firm up on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes and then transfer the cookies to cooling racks
Allow the cookies to cool down completely. Left over cookies can be stored in an airtight container.