Suvari (suwari or kharkhariya) are traditional Gujarati sweet puris made with flour, ghee, sugar and sesame seeds. They're gently deep-fried until pale, flaky and melt-in-the-mouth. My grandma made them every Diwali, and we've continued her recipe for generations!
Suvari is a traditional Gujarati sweet snack, particularly associated with Diwali. It's made from a firm dough containing flour, ghee, sugar and sesame seeds, rolled into thin discs and slowly deep-fried until crisp.
My grandma made mawa ghughra and suvari every single Diwali when my mum was growing up. Suvari were my uncle's absolute favourite, and after so many years of making them, the recipe has become second nature in our family.
We keep our suvari beautifully pale, with tiny bubbles rather than large puffs. My mum also adds a little cardamom to hers, which isn't traditional but gives them a lovely fragrance. It's a small personal touch we've kept in our family recipe.
Unlike puffed puris, suvari should remain fairly flat, with only small bubbles on the surface. They're also deliberately kept pale rather than fried until golden brown.
The texture is similar to farsi puri, but suvari has a gentle sweetness and a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth finish.
Suvari Ingredients Notes
You only need a handful of ingredients to make suvari, but getting the balance right is important for that delicate, flaky texture.
- Plain flour (maida) – I use regular plain flour to make the dough. It should be firm but pliable, rather than soft like a chapati dough.
- Ghee – I rub the ghee into the flour first to shorten the dough, which helps create that flaky, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Don't skimp on it!
- Sugar – Suvari should be mildly sweet rather than sugary like a biscuit. I prefer just enough sugar to give them a gentle sweetness.
- Sesame seeds – We lightly crush the sesame seeds before adding them to the dough.
- Milk – My mum always uses milk rather than water, as she finds it gives the suvari a softer, more delicate texture. We dissolve the sugar in the milk before making the dough.
- Cardamom – Ground cardamom is my mum's own addition to the traditional recipe. It's optional, but I love the gentle fragrance it brings.
- Oil – For deep-frying. I prefer a neutral-flavoured oil that won't overpower the delicate sweetness of the suvari.
Let's Make It Together
Find a full video, useful tips and storage information in the recipe card below.
- Prepare sweet milk mixture.
- Shorten the flour with ghee: Add melted ghee to the flour, and rub in with your fingertips. To check, you have added enough ghee, squeez a fistful of flour in your fist-it should clump together.
- Knead a stiff dough: Pour the milk mixture gradually and gather to form a stiff dough.
- Roll into circles: Roll into a very thin circle and prick with a fork or knife.
- Fry: Fry on both sides in medium low heat oil.
- Keep the colour pale: Remove with a slotted spoon before they go golden. They will be soft after removing from the oil, but firm as they cool.
Serving Ideas
Suvari are lovely with a cup of masala chai, but you can pull out all the stops with a saffron chai - especially during Diwali!
I like serving them alongside other Gujarati snacks such as boondi chevdo, sev and chorafali for a mixture of sweet and savoury flavours.
Once completely cool, store suvari in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them crisp. They're ideal for making ahead of Diwali, so you can prepare a batch before the festivities begin.
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📖 Recipe
Suvari
Ingredients
- 375 grams plain flour maida
- 150 grams sugar
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder optional
- 4 tablespoons ghee melted
- 125 millilitres milk
To deep fry
- oil
Instructions
- Add 150 grams sugar in 125 millilitres milk along with 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and 2 tablespoon sesame seeds in a pan or microwave proof glass jug.
- Warm the milk until sugar dissolves, set it aside to cool.
- Sieve the 375 grams plain flour into a large bowl.
- Add the melted 4 tablespoons ghee and mix well until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Gradually add the milk and sugar liquid and mix to form a stiff dough. Cover and rest it for 10 minutes.
- Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until pliable.
- Divide into equal portions and shape into small balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel.
- Roll each ball into a very thin circle and prick with a knife or fork.
- Place the rolled discs on a clean kitchen towel and allow them to dry slightly.
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat.
- Slide 1 or 2 rolled suvari into the hot oil and fry gently on both sides without browning.
- Remove and place on paper or a rack to cool completely. They will crisp as they cool.
- Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Roll the dough as thinly as possible for the best crisp texture. You should almost be able to see the work surface through the rolled suvari.
- Do not allow the suvari to brown during frying; they should remain pale.
- Ensure they are completely cooled before storing to maintain crispness.
- If the dough is very dry and too stiff, add a tablespoon of water and knead again.Â
- Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
This is such an old fashioned snack that not many people make anymore, and the mildly sweet crispy crackers with sesame seeds remind me so much of family gatherings, my mum has always loved these and this Diwali I am making a big batch to surprise her with.
Unknown says
Hi we call it kharkhariya and always make on diwali x
Freda says
I love such crispy, crunchy snacks with my chai. Now, only if someone could make some and give me, oh well! Lovely post 🙂
Jayasri says
What a beautiful shot! Can I pick one up! Looks so crispy and delicious!
jayashree says
This looks so yumm to have with a cup of tea. I love all the Gujarati snacks.