What's the best replacement for “solid vegetable oil” in pastry recipes?

Question

I want to make some chickpea delight (I don't know what it's called in English, it's a Persian recipe and literally translates to "little chickpea confectionary" شیرینی نخودچی , "shirini-e-nokhodchi").

The recipe has solid vegetable oil (I think it is hydrogenated/solidified vegetable oil).

I used butter instead but my dough turned out a dry sand like mess! No matter how long I kneaded it, it still didn't come together (I finally added some olive oil to it! to get it together).

What is a good replacement for solid veg oil available in US groceries?

Answer

The "solid vegetable oil" you're describing sounds like Crisco (shortening), which you can find in any US grocery. You could also try refined coconut or palm kernel oil, both of which are solid at room temperature.

edit: another possibility to note, is that the butter may be fine, but maybe the chickpea flour you're obtaining in the US is different.

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