Step 1

Set your room AC to as cold as you can bear (crucial for flaky biscuits!) And preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Make sure your oven rack is in the center of the oven!

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Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, whisk your flour, salt, kalanji, garlic powder, black pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.

Step 3

Remove your 10 Tbsp of butter from the fridge and dice into ¼ to ½ inch cubes. Toss into the flour.

Step 4

Use your fingers to press the cubes of butter into smaller bits and pieces, but only do so until you feel the butter warming up and softening.

Step 5

After 3-5 minutes of finger pressing the butter into flat shards and pea sizes, you should transfer the entire bowl to the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes This will prevent your hand warmth from melting the butter beyond return. I use this trick to make sure the butter pieces are fully chilled before I begin kneading, which is crucial for layered, fluffy biscuits.

Step 6

After chilling, you can continue pressing the butter into small bits if you still have chunks. Once all butter is crumbled, make a well in the center of the bowl and add sour cream or yogurt. Mix everything with a fork or your hand until the dough is mostly combined, but still in a bit of shambles.

Step 7

Empty the bowl onto a floured surface and begin to knead the pieces into an 8x4” rectangle. Place the rectangle horizontally in front of you and fold  the dough into thirds. Take the right side and fold toward the center, then take the left side and fold over to the right side. Pat dough into another 8x4” rectangle, then repeat this folding process once more. Pat dough back into an 8x4” rectangle and straighten the edges up.

Step 8

For 6  large biscuits (great for sandwiches and hangry Mehreen), use a knife to cut the dough in half  lengthwise and then cut crosswise three times. For 8 biscuits, cut the original rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 4 squares for a total of 8 biscuits. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on your prepared sheet. Place the sheet of biscuits in the fridge or a cool place.

Step 9

Put 1 Tbsp of butter and ½ tsp of minced garlic in a small bowl and microwave for 25 seconds or melt in a pot on low heat. Add ⅛ tsp of turmeric to the melted butter.

Step 10

Brush biscuits with the turmeric butter and sprinkle some extra flaky salt on the biscuits. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Serve warm and steamy :)