say no to ugly cookies: curry coriander

Here's your second installment in the anti-ugly cookie campaign I'm currently waging.

These are sweet, simple, yet mysterious shortbread cookies. Exotic spices more typically used in savory applications, curry and coriander combine with sugar and butter and become a perfect afternoon snack.   They are weird, perhaps, but more than just a novelty. They are actually worth eating, again and again.

curry-coriander shorties

• 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
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Toast coriander, shaking skillet often, until fragrant. Grind.  Toast curry powder until fragrant.

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Blend butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixer. Whisk together flour and spices,then add to butter mixture until incorporated.

Form 1-inch balls of dough and arrange on baking sheets. With side of a floured pencil or chopstick, press an X into top of each cookie, gently flattening to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine 2009.