Nimki (crunchy chai-time savoury snacks)
Offer someone from Kolkata some nimki and a cup of chai and sure enough they won’t refuse. These remind me of monsoon afternoons at home with friends. The tea would be bubbling away in a pan with aromatic spices and freshly made nimki would make the perfect snack accompaniment.
MAKES 1 LARGE JAR | PREP 30 MINS PLUS RESTING COOK 10 MINS | EASY
450g plain flour
2 tsp nigella seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp ghee vegetable oil for rolling and deep-frying
1 Combine the flour, nigella and caraway seeds, sugar, ghee and 11/2 tsp of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix with your fingers to form a crumbly dough. Gradually add small amounts of water and continue kneading until a smooth dough forms. It should be soft yet holding together firmly. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave to rest for 40 mins. 2 Divide the dough into 6 balls. On a clean worksurface, spread a thin layer of oil. Roll out a ball 2mm thick. With a sharp knife cut the circle into 11/2cm-wide diamonds. Re-roll the scraps to use up all the dough. 3 Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a karai or wok. When hot enough (a piece of dough should bubble and rise to the top), slowly lower in the diamonds in batches. Cook for 2 mins until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper. Enjoy freshly made with a cup of tea or chai, or cool and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
PER SERVING 12 nimki 132 kcals | fat 7.2G saturates 1.2G | carbs 14.4G | sugars 0G fibre 1.2G | protein 2.4G | salt 0.2G