Curry Coriander Shorties

I understand that some of you are shuddering right now at the thought of a cookie with curry and coriander in it. Personally, I have a thing for combining savory and sweet. It's just fun to have something a little different. And it's especially entertaining to watch people get that perplexed look on their faces as they try to identify what exactly is happening to their taste buds. I think these will surprise you (in a good way). They have the texture of crunchy little biscuits that melt-in-your-mouth. And the strangest part is I think they taste a little lemony (and clearly there's no lemon in them). All part of the mystery that makes these so delightfully unusual.

CURRY CORIANDER SHORTIES

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (preferably Madras)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

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1.      Toast coriander in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, shaking skillet often, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Cool, then finely grind in an electric coffee/spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

2.      Toast curry powder in same skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and a shade or two darker, about 1 minute.

3.      Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat to 350° F.

4.      Blend butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a rubber spatula. Whisk together flour and spices, then blend into butter mixture with spatula.

5.      Form 1-inch balls of dough and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Using the side of a floured pencil or chopstick, press an X into top of each cookie.

6.      Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool.

barely adapted from Paul Grimes (Gourmet, September 2009)

toasting coriander seeds

Definitely use fresh spices to get the full effect.

ground coriander seeds

toasting curry powder

butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract

butter etc. mixed

flour and spices

dough mixed

making an X in a dough ball

X'd

I used chopsticks (thanks chopstick buddy)

baked

curry coriander shorties

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