Salty Twisties / Namak Para

The Namak Para is one of the last few snacks I made for Diwali, but with all the other preparations going on there was hardly any time to post it. So though late, this gets posted here. I shaped the para into twisties when frying because I was yearning cheese twisties but did not have time to make it. I remember my mother making these namak para with jeera in it. And once, when visiting a friend's house her mother had made this with ajwain and specifically asked us to eat it. Ajwain helps in digestion which is sorely needed when its Diwali and all of us are stuffing ourselves with all the goodies around. So when I started making these, I add both jeera and ajwain because jeera also has digestive properties.

 

Ingredients

Maida - 1 cup

Besan - 1/4 cup

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1tsp

Carom seeds / Ajwain - 1 tsp

Red chilli pwd - 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Water to mix into dough

Oil for frying

Sift the maida and besan together into a bowl. Add the turmeric and red chilli powders, cumin and carom seeds and salt as per taste. Mix well. Then add water little by little to make a pliable dough. Take a ball of dough and keep the rest covered. Roll this ball of dough into a slightly thick square chapati. Cut into 3/4th inch wide strips. Cut each strip into 3 inch long pieces. Cut both ends diagonally.

Pour oil into a kadai and put it on medium heat. 

Continue making strips of the whole chapati like above. When the oil is hot, lower the heat and start the frying. Hold one end of the strip with one hand then twist it and hold the other end with a pair of tongs. Release the end of the strip held by the hand and keeping it twisted lower the other end with the tong still holding it. When the strip starts firming up release it from the tong. Fry till golden. Change sides carefully, the twist may come undone. Scoop with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain off excess oil.

If you like to keep it simple just cut the chapati into diamond shaped ones and fry. Turn sides to fry them completely and then drain off onto paper towels.

 

Store in an airtight container. The contents of my container did not last long, my husband kept dipping into it every time he passed by the kitchen.

This recipe for Salted Twisties / Namak Para is going to these events :

-  "Diwali Bash 2013" hosted by cooksjoy.

-  "Diwali Delicacies Event" jointly hosted by priyaeasyntastyrecipes & spicytreats 

-  "Spotlight: Festival Treats" hosted by cuisinedelights