The great Indian namkeen trail: Why fafda, murukku, and dalmoth beat any packaged snack

O ne of the many memories of school is the tiffin boxes classmates brought. My lunch was usually homemade by my mother or our cook — fairly fancy, now that I think about it — chicken patties made with mum’s puff pastry, cheese straws, sandwiches. But my eye was always on my Gujarati classmate’s tiffin. Pure vegetarian, yet bursting with flavour. Her box was a treasure chest of snacks — tri-coloured sandwiches layered with mashed potatoes, green chutney and red chutney, or crisp, spicy bondas . Only later did I realise her tiffin represented what Gujarati cuisine does best — farsan , or savoury snacks.

We often rave about Indian sweets , but our savoury namkeen — salty, ready-to-eat snacks — are a world of their own. These fried, non-sweet bites are staples in most homes, tucked