Namak Para

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whole wheat flour, atta, 125 gms
• 1 cup All-purpose flour, maida, 125 gms
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Nigella Seeds, Kalonji
• ¼ cup Oil, + extra for deep frying
• ¾ cup Water, approx for kneading

Steps

1. Mix both the dry flours, salt & kalonji in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup oil and mix it with the flours in a way that the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Take a little mixture in your fist to check if it holds its shape.
2. Add water little at a time and knead it into a firm dough. Do not knead the dough too much, or the namak pare won’t be flaky. Cover with a dry cloth and rest for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 4 parts and make balls. Roll out the dough into a ⅛ inch thick circle.
4. Pierce the rolled out dough with a fork to make tiny pores which will prevent the namak pare from puffing up, thereby making them crisper
5. Cut into diamond or square shapes using a knife. Separate each shape and keep aside on a plate in a single layer. Avoid piling it on one another as they may stick together. Repeat till all the dough is used up.
6. Heat two inches of oil to medium high in a deep Kadai or Pan, and then reduce the heat to low.
7. Drop the cut out dough into oil and fry while stirring frequently till the namak para turns light golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. It’s important to note that Namak Para must be fried only on low heat so that they cook properly from inside.
8. Transfer them onto a tissue paper lined plate. Cool them completely before serving or storing them in an airtight container for later.