Nimki

This simple salty snack with subtle flavor of Nigella seeds reminds me always of Kolkata and childhood. I have always seen my parents and grandmother making nimkis after Durga Puja. I always enjoyed looking at the little diamonds getting deep fried and slowly turning golden. And later I enjoyed devouring them all along the day. They can be stored for months, but in reality would not last a few days. This year after the Durga Puja, I decided to follow the tradition and make nimki. Though I sort of had the idea about the recipe, I called my mother to know it in details, and specially learn the tricks or tips from their experiences. Having no experience of making crispy snacks from dough, I was a bit not confident in the beginning. The dough is similar to paratha dough and I couldn’t imagine how deep frying it will turn it nicely crispy. But in the end they did turn crispy. Though I over fried the first batch making it a bit too hard, there was no compromise in the taste. And I was happily munching these nimkis for days.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
(Makes a bowl full of nimkis)

2cups flour
3tbsp refined oil
2sp Nigella seeds
1/2 sp baking soda
1sp salt
Warm water
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

1. Take the flour in a bowl and add baking soda. Make the flour lighter and airy by rubbing in between fingers. After sometime you will be able to feel that the flour is lighter.
2. Rub in the oil; mix for a couple of minutes to form fine crumbles.
3. Add salt and Nigella seeds. (Rub the Nigella seeds in palm before adding, this brings out the flavor.)
4. Make smooth and tight dough using warm water.
5. Divide dough into 2-3 balls and roll each into 0.5cm thick.
6. Cut into small diamonds (1cm apart vertical cuts followed by 1cm apart diagonal cuts).
7. Heat oil for deep frying.
8. Gently put the nimkis in oil and fry on low heat in batches until they turn light golden.
9. Drain excess oil and store in airtight container when cold.

NOTE:
Making the flour lighter, and rubbing with oil (also amount of oil used) is the key to the crispiness. The more you do, the crispier it is. But doing too much can result in making brittle nimkis.
To test if oil is hot enough, put a little dough in it, if it floats with initial foaming of a few seconds, the oil is ready.
Fry on low heat such that nimkis get cooked in middle and are not too borwn.
Over frying can result in a bit harder nimkis.