Every Diwali, my nani’s kitchen smelled like hot oil and cumin. The festival cleaning was still underway, diyas were lined up on the windowsill waiting to be filled, and there was already a large steel dabba of Farsi Puri sitting on the counter. That tin never lasted long in our house.
Farsi Puri is a crispy deep-fried Gujarati snack made with plain flour, semolina, and whole black peppercorns. In Gujarati, farsi simply means crispy, and this puri delivers exactly that. It is one of those festival staples that gets made weeks before Diwali, packed into airtight tins, and gifted to neighbours along with chakli and gathiya.
What I love about this farsi puri recipe is how straightforward it is once you know two things: the dough must be stiff, and the frying must be slow. Get those right and you’ll have puris that snap cleanly when you break them, staying crispy for up to two weeks in a tin.
Let’s make a batch together.
What Is Farsi Puri?
Farsi (ફારસી) is a Gujarati word meaning “crispy” or “crunchy,” and this puri earns that name fully. Unlike the soft, puffed puris you’d serve with chole or halwa on Holi, Farsi Puri is flat, dense, and deliberately crunchy, more like a cracker than a bread.
It belongs to a family of Gujarati travel and festival snacks that include chakli, mathiya, and gathiya: foods designed to be made in large batches, stored at room temperature, and eaten slowly over days. Traditionally, women in Gujarati households made these during the weeks leading up to Diwali, turning the process into a social occasion. Neighbours would drop in, everyone rolling and pricking puris while catching up on the year’s news.
The puri is seasoned simply: cumin seeds in the dough and whole black peppercorns pressed on top before frying. That combination of earthy cumin and sharp pepper against the fried flour base is what makes these so snackable. Serve them with a sweet-and-sour mango pickle or just with chai, and they disappear fast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Stays crispy for 10-15 days: make once, snack for two weeks
- Only 6 ingredients (plus oil and salt)
- No special equipment: just a rolling pin and a kadai
- Perfect Diwali gift: pack in decorative tins for neighbours
- Naturally vegan when made with oil, and free from preservatives or additives
Ingredients
- 1½ cups maida (plain white flour / all-purpose flour)
- 3 tablespoons semolina (suji/rava)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil (plus more for deep frying)
- Salt to taste
- Water (as needed, roughly 4-5 tablespoons)
How to Make Farsi Puri
Prepare the Dough
In a wide mixing bowl, combine the maida, semolina, cumin seeds, ghee (or oil), and salt. Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This step ensures the puris will be short and crispy, not tough.
Add water a tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. You’re aiming for a stiff dough, noticeably firmer than paratha dough. If the dough feels soft or pliable, it won’t give you the snap you want after frying. Once the dough comes together, cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10-15 minutes.
Roll and Prick
Divide the dough into 2-3 portions. Roll each portion into a log, then cut into small equal pieces (about the size of a large marble). Flatten each piece into a patty with your palm.
On a lightly floured board, roll each patty into a thin circle, about 3-4 mm thick and 3-4 inches across. Too thin and they may break in the oil; too thick and they won’t cook through evenly.
Place 2-3 whole peppercorns on the surface of each rolled puri. Press them in gently with a pestle or the back of a spoon. You want them embedded, not sitting loosely on top. Then prick the entire surface with a fork or knife tip, about 4-5 pricks spread evenly. This releases steam during frying and keeps the puris flat rather than puffing up.
Deep Fry
Heat oil in a kadai or deep frying pan over medium-low flame. The oil temperature matters here: too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks through; too cool and the puris absorb excess oil. A small piece of dough dropped in should sizzle steadily and rise to the surface within a few seconds.
Slide in 3-4 raw puris at a time. Fry until light golden brown on the underside, then flip and fry the other side. The whole process takes about 4-5 minutes per batch on medium-low heat. They’ll look pale when you pull them out and will darken a shade as they cool, which is perfectly normal.
Drain on a kitchen paper-lined plate. Leave them to cool completely at room temperature before storing.
Pro Tips for Perfectly Crispy Farsi Puri
Stiff dough is non-negotiable. The single biggest reason home-made farsi puris turn soft is a dough that’s too soft. If you can press your thumb in easily, add a little more flour and knead again.
Cool completely before sealing. If you pack warm puris into a tin, steam builds up inside and softens them. Give them at least 30 minutes out in the open air before closing the container.
Add a tablespoon of extra ghee to the dough if you want that classic melt-in-the-mouth texture. More fat means a more tender crumb. Just don’t go so far that the dough becomes greasy and crumbly.
Serving Suggestions
Farsi Puri is traditionally served as a standalone tea-time snack or as part of a Diwali farsan tray. Pair it with:
- Sweet-and-sour raw mango pickle (the classic Gujarati combination)
- Masala chai on a cold afternoon
- A small bowl of green chutney for a spicy contrast
- Alongside vegetable pakora or onion pakora for a full chai-time spread
For a Gujarati festival snack box, pair it with methi thepla and some dry mathiya. Everything packs and travels well.
Farsi Puri (Crispy Gujarati Snack)
Equipment
- Kadai or deep frying pan
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1½ cups maida plain white flour
- 3 tablespoons semolina suji/rava
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons ghee or neutral cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- 4-5 tablespoons water or as needed
For the topping
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
For frying
- Cooking oil, enough for deep frying
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a wide bowl, combine maida, semolina, cumin seeds, ghee or oil, and salt. Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Knead into a stiff dough: it should be firmer than paratha dough.
- Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10-15 minutes.
Roll and prepare
- Divide the dough into small portions. Roll each into a thin circle, about 3-4 mm thick and 3-4 inches in diameter.
- Press 2-3 whole peppercorns onto each puri. Prick the entire surface with a fork or knife tip (4-5 pricks per puri). This prevents the puris from puffing up during frying.
Fry
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium-low flame. Test the oil by dropping in a small piece of dough: it should sizzle steadily and rise to the surface.
- Deep fry 3-4 puris at a time until light golden brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. They will darken slightly as they cool.
- Drain on kitchen paper. Cool completely at room temperature before storing.
Notes
- For the crispiest result, keep the dough stiff. Soft dough = soft puri. If you can press your thumb in easily, add a little more flour and knead again.
Fry on medium-low heat. High heat browns the outside too quickly and leaves the centre underdone. - Add an extra tablespoon of ghee to the dough for a melt-in-mouth texture.
Cool completely at room temperature before closing the storage tin: warm puris trapped in a sealed container will soften. - Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10-15 days. Do not refrigerate.
- To make vegan: use neutral cooking oil (sunflower or refined) instead of ghee.
FAQs
Why did my farsi puri turn soft instead of crispy?
Two most common reasons: the dough was too soft, or the oil was too hot (which browns the outside quickly but leaves the inside undercooked and slightly moist). Make sure your dough is stiff and fry on medium-low heat. Also let the puris cool completely at room temperature before storing. Packing them warm traps steam and softens the crust.
Can I make farsi puri without semolina (suji)?
Semolina adds crunch and a slightly coarse texture. You can reduce it or leave it out, but the puri will be less crispy. Some bakers swap it for a tablespoon of rice flour for a similar effect.
Can I use chapati flour (whole wheat flour) instead of maida?
Yes. The texture will be slightly coarser and nuttier, but it works well and gives a more wholesome result. The dough will need a bit more water.
Is farsi puri vegan?
Use neutral cooking oil (sunflower or refined oil) instead of ghee and it’s fully vegan. The rest of the ingredients are naturally plant-based.
How long does farsi puri stay fresh?
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, farsi puri keeps well for 10-15 days. Do not refrigerate. Moisture from the fridge will soften them.
Can I make farsi puri in an air fryer?
You can, though the result will be less glossy and slightly different in texture than the deep-fried version. Brush or spray both sides lightly with oil and air fry at 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes, flipping once. They’ll be crispier than baked but won’t have the same richness as the traditional version.
Farsi Puri is one of those recipes that rewards patience: stiff dough, slow oil, a proper cool-down. But once you’ve got a tin full of crispy, peppery puris on the counter, you’ll understand why Gujarati families make this farsi puri recipe every single year.
Whether it’s Diwali or just a rainy Tuesday that needs a chai companion, this is the snack you’ll want in your kitchen. If you’re building a festival farsan tray, check out my crispy poha cutlet and mixed veg cutlet too. They pack just as well and disappear just as fast.
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram, I love seeing your kitchen creations!
