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Thursday, 29 March 2012

Nimki/ Namakpaare Recipe | Papdi Recipe | How to Make Nimki and Papdi using the same dough


Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.
Nimki/ Namakpaare Recipe | Papdi Recipe
Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers. They go very well with tea. Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi, the round crackers that are quite used in Indian Chaats. In this post, I am showing you how to make nimki as well as papdi.

I have lots of memories attached to these Nimki. My mom makes the best Nimki in our home. I remember her making them in big batches during the festive season and we, kids used to poke around the kitchen to grab a few to munch on.

Even though I make them now myself, I still have not got the shapes perfect. Not that it matters when it comes to taste, but evenly shaped nimki looks way better.

Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.

Papdis are essentially same as nimki, they just differ in shape. I use the same dough to make both of these. The best papdi are those which are crunchy and yet breaks easily. Nimki are more crunchy, their shape helps in their texture. Papdis are the most essential elements of the most popular Indian snacks like Papdi Chaat and Sev Puri. Today, I am sharing how I make 'Nimki' and 'Papdi' with the same dough.

Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.

This recipe makes about 50 Papdis.

How to Make Nimki/Papdi/Namakpaare

Ingredients:

1 cup maida or all purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina
2 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ tsp black onion seeds.
Water to form a firm dough

Oil for brushing the dough and for frying

Process:

1. Mix maida or all purpose flour, semolina, salt and black onion seeds. Add the oil and use lukewarm water to make a firm dough. Keep it aside for 15-20 minutes before working on it.

2. Divide the dough in about 50 equal parts and roll them individually into 2 1/2 inch even rounds. Prick with a fork in about 4 to 5 place.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil. Fry the papdi on medium to medium-high heat until both sides are light golden-brown in colour.

4. Transfer them to a paper towel so that excess oil is soaked out. Let it cool completely before storing. They can be stored in airtight container for 1 month.

Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.

Nimki is same as papdi but different in shape. To make them make the dough as made for papdi and follow the instructions below.

1. Divide the dough into five equal parts and shape them into smooth balls.

2. Roll one dough ball at a time into thin chapati like discs. Using a knife or a pizza cutter cut thin strips of the dough and cut the strips diagonally to get diamond shaped pieces.

3. Fry them in medium hot oil till they are golden brown in colour. Do the same with rest of the dough balls. Keep the rest covered when you are rolling one.

4. Cool them completely before storing.

Here is a link to video of making nimki to help you understand the process of making them, even though the recipes are not same.

Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.

They are great to munch with afternoon tea.

Nimki or Namak Paare are diamond shaped savoury fried crackers.  Using the same dough that is used to make nimki, I also make papdi. Find the recipe for nimki and papdi here.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Saturday, 24 March 2012

Random Pictures # 2 ~ Dublin ~ For Saturday Snapshot

                                                        Quays Bar and Restaurant, Temple Bar, Dublin

I wanted to do this post last week for Saturday Snapshot as St. Patrick's day was an ideal day to post some more pictures from this country. How ever, the idea didn't materialize. So, here I am this week with some random pictures from Dublin, Ireland for Saturday Snapshot. 

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. It’s easy to participate – just post a picture that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member and add your link on Alyce’s site.

 Temple Bar, Dublin

 Half Penny Bridge over river Liffey, Dublin

Bulter's Chocolate Cafe at Grafton Street, Dublin.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Friday, 23 March 2012

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer


I clearly have no idea how to begin this post and I have been staring at the screen for past few minutes for inspiration. That doesn't seem to be working and I am taking the easy way out.

In a line I can say that Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer is one of the riveting book that I have ever read. Archer has a gift for crafting stories with such intricate and complex plot, spanning over years that keeps the reader glued to it till they have turned the last page. He is a genius master story teller without a doubt.

In Kane and Abel, Archer tells your the story of two men, William Kane and Abel Rosnovski. The former is born with a silver spoon and the later is a penniless Polish immigrant. Born on the same date, in opposite sides of the world, they have only one thing in common - ambition and  when fate brings them together at crossroads of life, there is friction of enormous proportion that will do good to none of them.


The story takes the reader through the life of both men, right from the moment they were born and to the point they breathed their last, alternately, and as a reader you will feel torn between the two protagonists. The way the author has intricately woven important historical incidents and happenings in the story, reiterates the fact that only a genius can do it. The unrest in Poland and rest of Europe, the barbarity of the Hitler regime, the World War II, the Great Depression and the rise of America are a constant backdrop in the history and still not for a moment, you will feel subdued. There are so many characters, sub plots and still the story holds together as one.  

Over 60 years and three generations, through war, marriage, fortune, and disaster, Kane and Abel with unconsummated hatred for each other, battle for the success and triumph that only one man can have. It all culminates in to a spell binding saga of ambition, hatred, success, failures and love. Even though you might feel pulled toward one character or the other, the author always have justified the way they act or do things. The end comes as a masterful surprise, which you can expect from a Jeffrey Archer book, but can never guess.


Other than the two main characters, the other ones that stood out for me were Kane's wife - Kate and Florentyna, Abel's daughter. Kate is an epitome of understanding and I loved the way she stood by her husband through thick and thin. Florentyna comes to me as a person who is strong and dares to dream and follow her heart. And it comes as a no surprise to me that she is the main protagonist of the next book of the Kane and Abel series, The Prodigal Daughter (which I have already laid my hands on and can't wait to read).


In a nutshell, it was fantastic read, full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge, great historical backdrop, well sketched characters, ingenious plot and a jolting ending. It has all elements of an Archer book and if you love his work, you can't miss it. I only wonder why it took me so long to put my hands on it. Kane and Abel was first published in 1979. 

Highly recommended

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers

Lucky Library Picks # 10

 Another Friday of Lucky Library Picks is here and I have some books to share. I have a good number of books to read and I am somewhat lagging behind in my reading plans. So, I have decided to post my Lucky Library Picks post only once a month. From next month I will post my Lucky Library Picks on the 15th of every month and hopefully the titles that have been sitting for a while on my shelf will be read soon.

This week for Lucky Library Picks I have these two books to share.

One Day by David Nicholls

This book has been on my TBR ever since the movie on this book was released. I didn't watch the movie as I wanted to read the book first. The book revolves around 2 people over a span of 20 years. It is touted as a modern classic.


The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer

This is the 2nd book of the Kane and Abel series. I have just finished reading Kane and Abel by the author which I enjoyed very much and I can't wait to this one.


 
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!