Naan Berenji - Persian Rice Flour Cookies

نان برنجی Naan Berenji Kermanshahi is one of my favorite Persian sweets, traditionally prepared for Nowruz (Persian New Year). Naan berenji cookies are rich in flavor without being overly sweet. They are wonderful to eat all year-round and are especially delicious with a freshly brewed cup of hot tea or coffee, particularly on a cold day.

 I have wanted to write about naan berenji for a long time, but I must admit that, despite buying them from different bakeries and trying several recipes myself over the years, the results were always somewhat disappointing. None ever quite tasted like the authentic naan berenji from Kermanshah. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to recreate those cookies so that they smell and taste like the way they did the first time I tried them, during a family trip to Kermanshah many years ago. 

I remember that summer trip vividly. I recall the evening we approached the Bisotoon mountain area as the sun was setting, and my father was exhausted from driving for so many hours. We stopped at a قهوه خانه (ghaveh-khaneh), a small roadside coffee house and rest area in the middle of nowhere. My father asked about the nearest place where our family could sleep for the night, but the suggested hotels were too far to reach. The owner offered us the rooftop of the ghahveh-khaneh instead. And so that is where we spent the night. 

The memory of the six of us climbing an old, flimsy ladder one by one, lying down on a single blanket with no pillows or any sheets, staring up at the sky, the moon, and stars until I fell asleep, is still etched in my mind. And all the while,  بیستون Bisotoon, felt so close,  looming above us as if it might topple down at any moment!  

As a child, those family summer trips, endless, dusty zigzags across the country, felt exhausting, dreadful, and pointless. Looking back now, I am most grateful for having seen so many corners of my beautiful country.

In my recent attempt,  I tried Najmieh Batmangelij's naan berenji recipe, from her A Taste of Persia cookbook, a try, and I was very pleased with the results. The next day, when I went to count how many cookies the batch had made and to take a few photos, there were only a few left on the plate!

Naan Berenji - Persian Rice Flour Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 25 cookies

-3 cups rice flour
-3 egg yolks
-1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-2 tablespoons fine sugar
-1 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

For Topping:

-2 tablespoons poppy seeds or crushed pistachios

For Syrup:

-1 1/2  cup white sugar
-1/2 cup of water
-1 tablespoon rose water

Method:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat, bring to a boil, and stir for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 7-10 minutes or until the syrup thickens to one cup. Remove from heat, add the rosewater, and let cool. completely.
2. In a bowl, mix rice flour with the powdered cardamom. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with fine sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the butter and oil and beat well until fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla extract and the flour, then gradually add in one cup of the sugar syrup and beat well with an electric mixer/hand mixer.
5. Transfer the dough to a covered container and refrigerate for about 6 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Take a tablespoon of the dough, flatten it into round shapes in the palm of your hand, and shape the surface with a cookie stamp or a teaspoon. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and arrange on the baking sheets. 
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer gently to cooling racks.

Once cooled, arrange on a serving platter and serve with tea or coffee.

Enjoy!