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Crispy namak para

Crispy namak para served on a decorative plate

Crispy namak para

Name: Crispy namak para
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250g plain flour; 2 tbsp ghee softened; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; vegetable oil for the plate and for deep-frying

Kalpna Woolf

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Serves 8

Easy

Prep: 1 hr

Cook: 15 mins - 20 mins

A star rating of 4 out of 5.1 ratingRate

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Offer guests these simple yet delicious deep-fried Indian snacks. Enjoyed with a glass of milky, spicy-sweet chai, these crispy diamonds won’t last long

Vegetarian

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Alternatives

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Chai tea

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Indian summer salad

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

250g plain flour
2 tbsp ghee

softened
1 tbsp cumin seeds
vegetable oil

for the plate and for deep-frying

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal178
fat7g
saturates3g
carbs24g
sugars0.2g
fibre1g
protein3g
salt0.3g

Method

step 1

Sift the flour into a large bowl, and mix in ½ tsp salt and the ghee until well combined. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds, then trickle in 2 tbsp warm water, slowly adding a little more until you have a medium-hard dough (it shouldn’t be soft). Knead for 3-4 mins in the bowl, then cover and set aside for 30 mins.
step 2

Divide the dough into 4 small, equal-sized balls. Roll each ball out into a thin circle to a depth of around 1mm – make it too thick and the namak para won’t crisp up when fried. You can then cut the circles into diamond shapes or straight pieces, if you prefer. For diamonds, cut diagonal lines using a pizza cutter about 2.5cm apart across the circle; repeat the cuts in the opposite direction. Transfer the cut shapes to an oiled plate and repeat with the rest of the dough.
step 3

Pour the oil into a deep heavy pan to no more than a third full. Heat over a medium-high heat to 180C – a little blob of dough should rise quickly to the surface when dropped in. Fry the namak para in batches for 1-2 mins until browned. Remove using a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Recipe tip

Make a batch
You can use this same dough to make mathi, a round (and slightly thicker) snack that’s just as delicious. You can make loads in one go, as they’ll keep for up to one month in an airtight container.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2023

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A star rating of 4 out of 5.1 rating

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