How To Store Homemade

Indian Snacks

For Longer: Natural Preservation Techniques

Quick Summary

Just like the cameos in Marvel movies, the snack drawer (or cupboard) in an Indian kitchen is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s there to support you through late-night cravings and mid-day binge sessions. Naturally, then, who wouldn’t want to extend the shelf life of these snacks and enjoy them time after time? 

Deep Dive

You took time out on a Sunday to whip up a batch of your favorite Indian snacks. Now, you’re left with large portions of crispy chivda, roasted nut mix, or perhaps delightfully twisted murukku. But can your homemade snacks stand the test of time? While they have none of the chemical additives and preservatives that store-bought snacks use to increase their shelf life, they can still last for a long time. How? It’s all about cooking, storing, and using natural preservation techniques.

Cooking Techniques That Promote Longevity

It goes without saying that storage plays a crucial role in ensuring homemade snacks retain their texture and taste for a long time. But for the best results, start with the right cooking techniques.

• Cooking/Drying technique: There’s a reason grandmothers would dry papad under the sunroof. It’s because of dehydration. Removing all moisture from food items extends their shelf life by inhibiting bacterial growth. You can opt for air-drying, sun-drying, or even a food processor to remove moisture. Additionally, when frying items, drain the excess oil completely. If not drained, excess oil can turn rancid and turn the items stale. 
• Thoroughly Frying/Roasting: Additionally, make sure items are fried or roasted all the way through and not partially. Fully frying evaporates all water from the dough. Partially fried items, on the other hand, may have leftover moisture that can lead to sogginess after cooling. 
• Low-moisture ingredients: Using ingredients that are high in quality but low in moisture can also extend the shelf life of the final product. Opt for roasted flours (like roasted gram flour) instead of using them raw. Also, cook with coconut oil or ghee. Both have lower water content and higher stability. Pro tip: Use rock salt and dried neem leaves when roasting. This naturally keeps away the bugs. 
• Proper cooling: It’s incredibly important to allow all cooked items to cool properly before you begin sealing or storing them. If items are not cooled properly (brought to room temperature), moisture can build up due to trapped steam (especially with fried items). The result? Soggy texture and a higher chance of bacterial growth. 

Using Natural Preservatives

The Indian spice cabinet is a treasure trove of natural preservatives that, if used when cooking, prevent microbial growth. Use these spices when cooking to add flavor and naturally preserve snacks: 

• Salt and Sugar: Salt is one of the key ingredients used in pickles because it prevents the growth of bacteria, yeast, and molds by dehydrating the microbes. Sugar achieves the same results and thus becomes the star of homemade sauces and jams. 
• Spices and seeds: Spices with natural preservative properties, like turmeric, hing (asafoetida), cumin, black pepper, and rock salt, inhibit bacterial growth. Similarly, fenugreek and mustard seeds can prevent spoilage in wet items like chutneys. 
• Acidic ingredients or fermentation: Naturally acetic ingredients like lemon juice or tamarind reduce spoilage. Fermentation with vinegar achieves the same results. You can add vinegar to shallow-fried items, pickles, and even curries. 

Ensuring Adequate Storage

Once cooked, snacks need to be stored properly. While it may look simple enough, it’s also easy to get it wrong. Here’s what you need to do: 

Airtight storage: Make sure cooked snacks don’t interact with air. Air contains oxygen and moisture, which can trigger oxidation on contact with oil or fats and turn them rancid. Sealed containers (preferably glass) block oxygen, humidity, and even air-borne microbes; thus increasing the shelf-life of snacks. Airtight storage also prevents odor absorption, so your savory snacks don’t smell like the sweet ladoos stored next to them. 

Temperature Control: Even after using air-tight containers, store snacks in cool, dry, and dark places away from direct sunlight. This prevents accidental exposure to heat or humidity when opening snack jars. 

Portion and store: Ideally, create small batches of snacks and store them. This is a smart way of ensuring you don’t accidentally contaminate the entire batch when opening the jar or box for a single serving. Divide large batches into small pouches and vacuum seal to completely prevent oxidation. 

The S In Snacking Stands For Storage

Storing, much like cooking, is all about handling with care. Cooking with high-quality ingredients, following basic hygiene practices, and employing smart cooking techniques can ensure that the fruits of your labor last longer. So the next time you whip up a batch of tangy chutney, fried snacks, and salty pickle, make sure to store it the right way.