Q. Why Namkeen is called so?

Namkeen is a Hindi word for salty or sour taste. In Indian tradition some homemade snacks of flour or maida are also called namkeen. Therefore this generic term is used for all such snack mixtures that boast of a salty taste. In recent years namkeen term is applied to a diverse range of snack like salted moong dal or peanuts roasted chickpeas or peanuts and other similar products.