Subho Bijoya with Narkel Naru

Durga pujo is over and this is the time to wish each other on Bijoya Dashomi. After bidding farewell to Ma Durga with sweet and sindoor (vermilion), we touch our elders feet, bless the younger ones and embrace our peers with heartfelt good wishes. It is a time for family reunion, to renew bonding with friends and relatives. This is not just a celebration of the triumph of good over evil but also a wish that Ma Durga will bring fulfillment and prosperity in the upcoming year. And then we do what Bongs are famous for. We eat, which can not be completed without nakel naru and nimki.

Narkel Narus are of two kinds. The gure’r naru is the one made with sugar cane jaggery and deep brown in color.The other one chinir naru is made with sugar, this is the one I cover in this post. The availability of frozen grated coconut and condensed milk saved me from the painstaking process of grating coconut and reducing the whole milk to its 1/4th volume.

Ingredients

1. 1lb. grated coconut (I used frozen)
2. 300 ml. sweetened condensed milk
3. 1 cup whole milk
4. 2tbsp. crushed roasted peanuts

Procedure

In a thick bottom pan take the grated coconut and stir around for about 5-6 minutes. Add whole milk and condensed milk to it and mix well. Keep on stirring on low heat.

The mixture will soon become thicker and you can see bubbles coming up on the sides. Keep mixing while scrapping off the bottom frequently. I prefer to use a nonstick pan for this process.

It takes 10-15 minutes for the mixture to get cooked.

Turn the heat off and add crushed peanuts to it. Mix once again.

Allow the mixture to cool down.  Naru becomes harder when it is cooled. So start making them when the mixture is still warm.

Grease your palms with little ghee and make ping-pong sized balls using your palm.

Keep them on a plate. Once they are completely cooled transfer them in an airtight container. Remember theses narus contain milk and hence their shelf life is less.