Namak Para Recipe (Namak Pare)
Namak Para (Plural – Namak Pare) are deep-fried diamond-shaped Indian crackers that are a tea-time staple. Make perfectly crispy and crunchy namak pare at home using my easy recipe.
Here are some more Indian snacks that you may like: Murmura Namkeen, Shankarpali, Kesar Pista Shortbread Cookies, and White Chocolate Nut Cups
My Nani’s house had a wooden almirah with mesh doors (jaali ki almari). This almirah was always stocked with homemade sweets and savories, and a lock would hang on it at all times. My Nani used to guard the keys safely, and when it was tea time in the evening, she would open the almirah and pull out a snack to serve along with the tea.
One snack that was always there was Namak Pare.
Every house has a different recipe for making namakpare. The ingredients remain the same, but their proportions and making methods make a huge difference in how they taste. My mother’s recipe makes these savory diamond cuts crispy and flaky. Try it!
About Namak Para
Namak Para is a crispy, deep-fried Indian snack made using all-purpose flour, semolina, carom seeds, and ghee.
These savory Indian crispies, also known as crackers, are typically shaped like diamonds.
Namakpare is popularly prepared during festivals such as Holi and Diwali and is perfect to munch on with a hot cup of evening tea or coffee.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crispy & Flaky – Each bite is perfectly crunchy with a light, flaky texture that melts in your mouth.
Easy to Make – This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and comes together in just a few simple steps.
Perfect Tea-Time Snack – A delightful savory treat to enjoy with a hot cup of chai.
Long Shelf Life – Stays fresh for days, making it great for festive gifting or meal prep.
Customizable Flavors – Easily tweak the seasoning to your taste by adding kasuri methi or your favorite spices for a unique twist.
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour – Namakpare is typically made using all-purpose flour (maida), but you can also make them with whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta).
Those made with all-purpose flour are light in texture, while those made with whole wheat flour are denser. You can also use a mix of these two flours.
Semolina – Adding a little fine semolina (sooji) makes namak parre nice and crispy.
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) gives the namak pare a distinct flavor and is also considered great for digestion. You can replace them with cumin seeds, crushed black pepper, or fennel seeds.
Ghee – Adding ghee to the namak para dough makes it soft and flaky from the inside. Replace ghee with oil to make a vegan recipe.
Oil – You can use any cooking oil to deep fry this savory snack.
How To Make Namak Pare Recipe – Step By Step
Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl or a parat.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fine semolina
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds
- 5 teaspoons melted ghee
Note – In India, we use a utensil called parat to knead the dough. It is basically a large plate with raised edges. Kneading the flour in parat makes the process easier. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment.
Mix the ingredients well using your fingers.
Add a few tablespoons of water at a time and knead until you have a smooth but slightly stiff dough.
Cover the dough with a kitchen cloth and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Knead the dough again until it is soft and smooth. Divide it into 2 parts.
Take one part and make a ball from it. Roll the ball using a rolling pin to make a 0.25-inch-thick circle. Sprinkle a little dry flour if the dough is sticking to the rolling surface. The dough should ideally not stick to the surface if kneaded stiffly.
Cut the circle into long rectangles or diamonds using a serrated knife or a sharp pizza cutter. You can also use cookie cutters in different shapes. Remove the extra dough from the sides. You can roll it with the next batch.
Cover the cut namak para with a kitchen cloth until they are ready to fry.
Heat 3-4 cups of oil for frying in a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Transfer the namak paras to the hot oil and fry until they are golden brown. Stir frequently using a perforated ladle.
Once browned, remove from the oil on a tissue-lined plate. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 10-15 days.
Remember that these will continue to brown even after being removed from the oil.
Each batch will take 10-15 minutes to fry properly. Fry the other half in the same way.
Pro Tips By Neha
The texture of the dough is very important while making this snack. It should be stiff like poori dough.
The amount of ghee added to the flour while kneading it is also very important. It makes these crisp and flaky.
The temperature of the oil is also a very important factor. Heat the oil nicely and then turn the heat to medium-low. The frying process will take time, but frying on medium-low heat is important for the fries to become crispy and cooked from the inside.
Do not overcrowd the pan while frying. Fry in batches. I fried the below mentioned recipe in two batches.
Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. It will absorb the extra oil and make them crisp.
I kept the flavoring for these namak para simple with just salt and carom seeds (ajwain). You can, of course, experiment by adding kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), sesame seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, or any spices you like. But the classic, basic version is traditionally made with only salt and ajwain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Make the dough as mentioned in the recipe and cut it into diamond shapes. Now, preheat your air fryer as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Arrange the namak para in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Lightly spray them with oil and air fry at 370°F for 10–12 minutes.
Every air fryer works differently, so start checking after 8 minutes to avoid overcooking. Repeat with the remaining batches.
In terms of texture, there’s a slight difference between deep-fried and air-fried namak para. Both turn out wonderfully crisp, but the deep-fried version is more flaky, while the air-fried one is simply crisp. Different, yes—but still absolutely delicious!
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the cut namak para in a single layer. Bake for 15–20 minutes, flipping them halfway through for even cooking. Start checking after 15 minutes to make sure they don’t over-brown.
If you like, you can swap the plain flour with atta (whole wheat flour) in this recipe. The namak para made with whole wheat flour turns out a bit denser compared to the classic maida version. Also, since whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture, you’ll need to add a little extra water to bring the dough together.
Store the crispy namak para in an airtight container at room temperature. They will easily keep well for up to 2 weeks. Make sure to cool them well before storing.
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Namak Para Recipe (Namak Pare)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- 1 tablespoon fine semolina (sooji)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- 5 teaspoons ghee
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add flour, semolina, salt, carom seeds, and ghee to a large mixing bowl or a parat.
- Mix the ingredients well using your fingers.
- Add a few tablespoons of water at a time and knead to make a slightly stiff dough.
- Cover the dough using a kitchen cloth and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Knead the dough again until it is soft and smooth. Divide it into 2 parts.
- Take one part and make a ball from it. Roll the ball to make a 0.25 inch thick circle. Sprinkle little dry flour if the dough is sticking to the rolling surface. The dough should ideally not stick to the surface if kneaded stiff.
- Cut the circle into long rectangles or diamonds using a serrated knife or a sharp pizza cutter. You can also use cookie cutters in different shapes. Remove the extra dough from the sides. You can roll it with the next batch.
- Cover the cut namak para with a kitchen cloth until they are ready to fry.
- Heat 3-4 cups of oil for frying in a heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Transfer a few namak paras to the hot oil and fry until they are golden brown. Stir frequently using a perforated ladle.
- Once browned, remove from oil on a tissue-lined plate. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 10-15 days.
- Remember that these will continue to brown even after being removed from the oil.
- Each batch will take 10-15 minutes to fry properly.
Hello Neha.
Is there a reason you do not add baking powder in the dough?
Namakpara are not supposed to be soft and fluffy.
I just prepared these ones. My husband said these just.taste.like a professional one. So glad it came out so well. Thanks for the recipe.
happy to hear!
It looks simple
Will try this Holi
Happy Holi????
Yes please, do try. Happy Holi to you too!!
This truly looks so amazing! easy to make and the perfect snack…will be trying this out tonight!
Do give it a try. These are very traditional Indian snack.
so perfectly made namak pare 🙂 looks super crispy and delicious 🙂
Its raining here and wish I had this over my tea too.