Kucho Mishti Nimki/Fried Sweet Cracker

Every year around this time on Autumn, Ma Durga visits her parents house on earth with her four children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik. Bengali people welcome Ma Durga by celebrating as Durga Puja festival for 5 days with loads of scrumptious sweet and savory food.

Utsav Durga Pooja 2017

After grand Durga pooja celebration of last four days come to an end on Maha Dashomi day. Before Ma Durga returns her adobe, married women gather at pooja pandel to offer shindur/vermilion and sweets to her. In west Bengal, idols are immersed in the water called 'Bisharjan' by devotees with a grand procession of dhaker bajna(special drum beats) but in the USA idols are saved with a great care in a safe place to re-use for the following years. Shuvo Bijoya to all my readers and asche bochor abar hobe( Ma will come again next year)!! 

Bijoya Dashomi makes me very nostalgic. After "Bisharjan" neighbors and friends go to each other's house and they are offered an array of home made sweets and savory items. Nimki/Cracker is one of the Bijoya staple, sweet or salty. My sister and I helped Ma to prepare big batches of Gurer Naaru, Chinir Naaru, Tokti, Nimki and Mishti Nimki a few days before grand pooja. Earthy smell of these goodies brings back lots of sweet memories of growing up days and I love to keep this tradition alive as long as possible. Today I am sharing mildly sweet Kucho Mishti Nimki/Fried Sweet Cracker dipped in the light sugar syrup. It's vegan and easy to make. 

Ingredients~

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water

1/4 tsp nigella seeds(optional)

1/8 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tbsp. oil

1 cup oil for frying

1/2 cup bone char-free sugar

1/3 cup water

Method~

Combine flour, nigella seeds(optional) and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 1/2 tbsp.oil in the mixture and rub well until mixture resemblance bread crumbs. Then add warm water and knead the flour mixture into a firm dough for 3-4 minutes. Dough must be smooth. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes covering with a damp cloth. 

Divide dough into 6 equal balls. Flour each balls very lightly. Roll with a rolling pin from the center to the edges to 8inch circle. Cut the dough into any shapes. I like diamond shaped Nimki. With a ravioli cutter/pizza cutter/knife cut the dough vertically into 1/4 inch strips first, then cut horizontally leaving 1/4 inch in between. Slip a blunt knife or spatula under the diamond shaped pieces and carefully transfer the pieces on a parchment paper or a plate. 

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Drop couple of pieces in the oil. If oil is hot enough they will sizzle and float to the surface. Do not make oil smoky hot at all. Fry them in small batches until golden brown. Take them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.  

For the sugar syrup – Add water and sugar in a wide pan. Heat on the medium flame till sugar completely dissolves. Keep cooking till syrup gets sticky enough to form one string consistency. Add the fried crackers into the sugar syrup and quickly stir well to coat with the syrup. Spread them on a plate to cool. Store in the air tight container. Enjoy with your loved ones. Happy cooking!!