Chaclama cookie from Oman
Oman lies on the tip of the Arabian peninsula and its climate is just a bit different from that of the other Gulf states. Besides wild mountains and wide desert you can find waving palm trees and a much greener landscape along the coast. There is even a monsoon like period with more rain in the summer months. Almost all the coconuts in Oman are grown around the town of Salalah and the palms are quite a popular tourist attraction. Cookies and sweets in Oman are mostly Middle Eastern influenced, but there also many similarities with those from India – the continent just across the Arabian Sea. As in India coconut is used in many sweet confections and this chaklama cookie is no exception. Desiccated coconut is the main ingredient of this macaroon style cookie that gets its special taste from ground cardamom seeds. This easy cookie is nice and crunchy on the outside and moist and chewy when you bite into it. No gluten or egg can be found in the chaklama cookie so it is a perfect one to serve to almost all cookie lovers. This recipe might be the easiest and shortest recipe I have ever posted, but that does not say anything about the taste. This Middle Eastern macaroon is one of my favorites already! If you like this cookie, try my variation with coffee and orange.
_________________________
Chaklama cookie from Oman
simpel ingredients
for about 15 cookies
200 grams desiccated coconut
½ can of sweetened condensed milk (about 150 grams / 7 oz)
1 heaped teaspoon ground cardamom
15 grams (1 tbs) soft butter or coconut oil
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon of baking powder
Everything in a bowl
Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
sticky dough
Mix into a sticky dough and leave to stand for about 5 mins.
form into little balls
Wet you hands slightly and form the dough into about 15 little balls. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 mins. until golden and done.
Take from the oven and leave to cool on the baking tray.
This post is also available in: Dutch
