If there is good food in the vicinity, trust Kareena Kapoor Khan to always advocate for a diet punctuated with periodic indulgences! The actress, who is known to enjoy her comfort foods and cheat meals as much as she enjoys following a sustainable diet, posted a picture of her chai-time treat for Diwali – a couple of nimkis or namkeen para, accompanying her cup of tea. The picture she shared was captioned ‘It’s Diwali time’ followed by a ‘iykyk’ (if you know, you know), close to her savoury deep-fried treat.
Nimki or namkeen para is a popular deep-fried savoury pastry often prepared in Bengali and Odia homes for Diwali. Made with a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, this flaky and crunchy snack is flavoured with Nigella seeds and ghee. Typically made during special festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja and Holi, this savoury delicacy is paired with a cup of tea, to be eaten as a snack or served to guests who visit each other’s homes during the season. These triangular treats are also a popular option for festive snacking in the states of Punjab and Bihar.
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Also known as elo jhelo – the nimki is also prepared in a sweet variation, for those who prefer their snacks on the sugary side. The technique-forward recipe, although low on the number of ingredients, can be quite time-consuming as layering the dough correctly and frying it to cook evenly might take a longer time. A traditional dry snack from the eastern part of India, the nimki is prepared during the day of Vijayadashami and is a shelf-stable snack that remains fresh for many weeks at a time. Although similar in appearance to the other iconic sweet – the khaja, the nimki is made using many different patterns like the braid or layered triangles, for example.