Method
- Combine flour, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, cardamom and warm milk. Knead 8 minutes into a smooth dough.
- Rest the dough 30 minutes covered to relax the gluten before rolling.
- Roll dough thin (2mm). Cut into long strips. Twist each strip into a spiral shape, or cut decorative shapes.
- Heat oil to 175?C ? a small piece of dough should rise immediately and bubble.
- Fry the khabze for 90 seconds per side until deep golden.
- Drain. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with butter tea.
Common questions
Can Khabze be made ahead?
Khabze is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 25 minutes.
Is Khabze spicy?
Khabze as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Khabze vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Khabze to make at home?
Khabze sits at intermediate difficulty — total time about 55 minutes. The ingredients are not unusual but the timing requires attention.
Can Khabze be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 8 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Khabze is the Bhutanese Buddhist offering biscuit — found at temple ceremonies, Tsechu festivals and family celebrations. The pastries are stacked decoratively at religious altars. Each Bhutanese family has preferred shapes; some make spirals, others knots.
