1. Preheat your oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Lightly spray the paper with cooking spray so the biscuits don’t stick.
3. In a mixing bowl, use an electric beater to whisk 1 cup ghee and 3/4 cup castor sugar together for about 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. It should look pale and creamy.
4. Add 2 tbsp soji (semolina) and 2 tsp Elachi powder to the ghee mixture. Mix briefly until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together 2½ cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, and 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda.
6. Add the flour mixture to the ghee mixture a little at a time, mixing gently with a spoon or spatula.
7. The dough should come together as a soft but crumbly dough, not sticky.
8. If the dough feels too soft or oily, sprinkle in 3 to 4 tbsp extra flour, one spoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pressed.
9. Take small portions of dough, about a tablespoon each, roll lightly between your palms, then press gently to form thick discs.
10. Place the discs on the prepared tray, leaving a little space between them. Press whole almonds or pistachios gently into the centre of each biscuit or in a pattern.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
12. These biscuits should not brown heavily. They are done when the bottoms are lightly golden, and the edges turn a soft off-white.
13. Let the biscuits rest on the tray for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
14. They will firm up as they cool.

Cook’s Notes

1. Freshly ground Elachi powder really makes the flavour shine. To make it, peel whole cardamom pods, toast the seeds lightly in a dry pan for about 30 seconds, then crush them with a rolling pin or grind them in a small coffee grinder.
2. Also, stick with ghee (clarified butter) instead of butter for the best texture. Butter adds extra moisture and can make the dough spread more than you want.
3. Once cooled, store the biscuits in an airtight tin for up to a week, though honestly they rarely last that long.