Chana Dal Namkeen - Crunchy Split Bengal Gram Snack

Munching on Namkeen (Crispy Savoury Snack) is very common in India. This Chana Dal Namkeen is a crunchy and spicy snack made using soaked Chana Dal.

Recipe Source Link:https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/chana-dal-namkeen/

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RECIPE INGREDIENTS

» For Soaking Chana Dal:

• 1 cup chana dal
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup milk (use almond or cashew milk for vegan version)
• Water

» For Cooking Chana Dal:

• Oil For Deep Frying

» For Seasoning:

• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black salt
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder), or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon citric acid powder or 1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder (kali mirch powder)
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (kashmiri lal mirch powder)

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

» For Soaking Chana Dal:

1. Rinse 1 cup chana dal at least 3-4 times.
2. Soak this dal in a large bowl with 3/4 cup whole milk, 1 cup of water, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and mix everything well. (The idea is to soak the dal completely in the liquids. Add more water if needed. The liquid should be about 1 inch above the chana dal.)
3. Soak dal for at least for 5-6 hours or overnight.
4. Once soaked well, drain the excess water from it. Rinse again with the clean water using a strainer / sieve. Shake off the excess water.
5. Arrange this dal on a muslin cloth in a single layer to pat dry it.
6. Let it air dry in a shade for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. There shouldn?t be any moisture when you fry chana dal, so try to get them as dry as possible.

» For Frying:

1. Now heat your vegetable / frying oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
2. Fry chana dal in a steel strainer in small batches. Keep stirring the dal occasionally, this step would prevent dal from sticking.
3. Deep Fry Chana Dal on medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until it turns crisp.
4. Drain fried chana dal onto an absorbent paper to remove the excess oil.
5. Add all the spices when dal is slightly warm, and mix well.
6. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.

» For Baking:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a baking tray with a foil or a parchment paper.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, some salt to the soaked chana dal, and toss all the ingredients.
3. Transfer this chana dal into the prepared baking tray and spread to arrange them in a single layer.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Keep stirring every 10-12 minutes. Keep a close eye after 25 minutes to avoid any burning.
5. Turn off the oven and let baked chana dal cool inside the oven for 8-10 minutes. Take it out of the oven.
6. Add all the spices with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and stir everything well.
7. Let the dal cool completely before storing in an airtight container. This would last for up to a week.

RECIPE NOTES

1. Soak chana dal for at least 6 hours and air dry to remove all moisture. Dal might splutter in the oil while frying if there is any moisture left. Also, they won?t turn crisp.
2. Don?t skip the milk while soaking the chana dal. The addition of milk gives the right kind of crisp and crunch to the dal and it won?t turn chewy.
3. Adding baking soda is also a must for this recipe.
4. If you are vegan, then you can replace whole milk with almond milk or cashew milk.
5. The citric acid powder is another key ingredient of this chana dal namkeen recipe. However, if you can?t find citric acid crystals where you live, then you can also use amchoor powder.
6. Instead of deep-frying, you can bake or air fry Chana dal namkeen.
7. For air frying, follow the same recipe, and instead of deep-frying, air-fry them according to the manufacturer?s instructions.
8. Always try to fry chana dal using a steel strainer. This way it would be easier to take out the fried chana dal from hot oil.
9. Chana dal namkeen stays fresh for months when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
10. Add all the spices to dal when they are slightly warm, this way they would absorb the flavors nicely.
11. The seasoning I used is a must for this recipe if you want it to look and taste similar to Haldirams or Bikaji packets. But if you prefer it any other way, then you are free to add any other seasoning of your choice.