Air-Fryer Namak Pare: A Crunchy, Quick Snack

Namak pare is a popular Indian snack, often made during Diwali, alongside other sweet and savoury snacks. It is a fried, savoury, crispy, crunchy, and flaky bite-sized snack, made with flour, spices, and ghee or oil. It is best enjoyed with a cup of masala chai and can be deep-fried, air-fried, or baked.

Choosing your ingredients

Namak pare is a popular Indian snack, often made during Diwali. It is a fried, savoury treat, but it can also be air-fried or baked for a healthier option.

The ingredients you will need to make namak pare are:

• Flour: You can use either all-purpose flour (maida), whole wheat flour (atta), or a combination of the two. Using whole wheat flour makes the namak pare healthier, while all-purpose flour makes them lighter. You can also replace a portion of the flour with semolina (sooji) or besan for a different taste and texture. Semolina will make the namak pare crispier, while besan will give them a nutty flavour. If you want to make the namak pare gluten-free, you can use gram flour/besan instead of wheat flour.
• Spices: The most common spice used in namak pare is ajwain (carom seeds). You can also add black pepper, cumin seeds (jeera), dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), chilli powder, and turmeric powder. If you want to reduce the spiciness, you can skip the red chilli powder.
• Salt: This is essential, as "namak" means salt. You can adjust the amount of salt to your taste, but a good starting point is ¾ to 1 teaspoon for 2 cups of flour.
• Oil or Ghee: You can use either oil or ghee in your namak pare. If frying, you can use a neutral oil like avocado oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oil. For adding to the dough, you can use sunflower oil or ghee. If you want a stronger flavour, you can use mustard oil.
• Water: You will need to add water to the flour to form a dough. The amount of water needed will depend on the type of flour used, but it should be enough to form a stiff dough, similar to what you would use for a poori. The dough should not be too sticky or dry, and it should hold its shape when pressed between your palms.

Optional ingredients that you can include are:

• Soda: A pinch of baking soda will give the namak pare a light and crispy texture, but it is not necessary.
• Carom seeds: These can be added for flavour, but they are optional.
• Cumin seeds: These can be added for additional flavour, but they are also optional.

Once you have gathered your ingredients, you can start making the namak pare dough by mixing the dry ingredients, then adding the oil or ghee, and finally, slowly adding the water until you have a stiff dough.

Mixing the dough

To make the dough for namak pare, you will need plain flour, whole wheat flour, or a combination of both. You can also add semolina for extra crunch. For spices, you will need salt, ajwain (carom seeds), and optionally, black pepper, cumin seeds, or kasuri methi (dried fenugreed leaves). For the fat, you can use ghee or oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and spices. If using ghee, melt it before adding it to the mixture. If using oil, make sure it is at room temperature or warm so that it mixes well with the flour. Using your hands or a whisk, mix the ingredients until the fat is evenly distributed and the mixture resembles crumbs. You may also rub the mixture between your palms to ensure the fat is well incorporated.

Next, slowly add water to the mixture, a little at a time, and knead to form a stiff dough. The dough should not be too soft or sticky, but slightly tighter. You may need around half a cup of water, but the amount may vary depending on the quality of the flour.

Once the dough is ready, cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. This allows the dough to relax and makes it easier to roll out.

Shaping the dough

Start by dividing the dough into equal parts. The number of parts will depend on the size of your batch, but it is generally recommended to divide the dough into 2 or 4 parts. Roll each part into a ball and set them aside, covered, while you work with one portion at a time.

Lightly grease your rolling surface and rolling pin with oil to prevent the dough from sticking. Take one portion of the dough and flatten it with your fingers to form a rough circle. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. If you prefer thinner namak pare, you can roll the dough to your desired thickness.

Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into your desired shape. The traditional shape for namak pare is a diamond, but you can also cut them into squares, rectangles, or any other shape you like. If you want to get creative, you can even use cookie cutters to make circles, triangles, flowers, or stars.

Once you have cut the dough into your desired shape, separate the individual pieces and transfer them to a greased plate or tray. Repeat this process with the remaining portions of dough.

If you are planning to fry or air fry the namak pare immediately, you can skip this step. However, if you are making them in advance, it is important to let the shaped dough rest before frying. Cover the tray of cut dough with a damp cloth or paper towel and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. This will help the dough relax and ensure that the namak pare fry evenly.

Air-frying the namak pare

Step 1: Prepare the dough

Mix together the dry ingredients: flour (either refined flour, wholewheat flour, or a combination of both), salt, and carrom seeds. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Then, add oil and mix well until you get a breadcrumb-like consistency. This step is crucial to ensuring your namak pare are flaky. Do not reduce the quantity of oil, or your namak pare will be hard.

Now, slowly add water, a tablespoon at a time, and knead the mixture to form a stiff dough. The dough should be similar in consistency to poori dough, not soft like chapati dough. Use as little water as possible.

Step 2: Rest the dough

Keep the dough covered and set aside for 20 minutes. Then, knead the dough again for about a minute.

Step 3: Roll out the dough

Divide the dough into two parts. Take one part and roll it out into a circle about 1/4-inch thick using a rolling pin.

Step 4: Cut the dough

Using a knife or a pizza cutter, score the dough to form squares, rectangles, or diamonds.

Step 5: Preheat the air fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius for 4 minutes.

Step 6: Air-fry the namak pare

Place the namak pare in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air-fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the namak pare halfway through the cooking process. Keep checking on them after 6 minutes to avoid burning.

Your crispy, flaky air-fried namak pare are now ready to be served! Store them in an airtight jar.

Storing the namak pare

Storing your namak pare is an important step to ensure they stay crispy and fresh! Here are some detailed instructions on how to store your namak pare:

Firstly, it is important to let the namak pare cool down completely before storing them. This will help prevent condensation from forming inside the container, which can make your namak pare soggy. Place the namak pare on a wire rack or a paper towel to cool.

Once cooled, transfer the namak pare to an airtight container. You can use a glass jar, a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, or a metal tin. Make sure the container is clean and dry before adding the namak pare.

If you have fried the namak pare, line the container with a kitchen tissue or paper towel to absorb any excess oil. This will help keep your namak pare crispy. Place the namak pare in a single layer, or separate layers with kitchen tissue to absorb any oil from the bottom.

Store the container in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard. Do not store them in the refrigerator as this can affect their texture and make them soggy.

Properly stored, namak pare can last for 2 to 4 weeks. However, they are so delicious that they may not last that long!

Some additional tips for storing namak pare:

• If you plan to store them for a longer period, you can freeze them. Place the airtight container in the freezer, where they will keep for up to 3 months.
• To maintain freshness, ensure the container is sealed tightly after each time you open it.
• You can also add a packet of food-safe silica gel or a small packet of uncooked rice to the container to help absorb any excess moisture and keep the namak pare crispy.

Frequently asked questions