Crispy chana dal snack

Bengalgram Dal/Kadlebele (Kannada)/Chanedal (Konkani) is a versatile dal and often used more to prepare snacks or as seasoning/tadka. Some of the better known chana dal based foods are dhokla, sweet khichdi, puran poli, and also kosambari/salad. My recipe for today uses chana dal to make a crispy fried snack – either to be enjoyed as a ‘time pass’/tiffin snack or with upma dishes. Hope you enjoy it !

What you need to have:

1. Bengalgram dal – 1 Cup

2. Peanuts – 1/3 Cup

3. Chilli powder – 1 Teaspoon

4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 Teaspoon

5. Pepper powder – 1/2 Teaspoon

6. Black salt powder – 1/4 Teaspoon

7. Curry leaves – A few

Ingredients of crispy chana dal snack

What you do with what you have:

1. Wash and soak Bengalgram/chana dal in water over night. Drain and dry it for about an hour on a dry cloth or in a colander shaking every now and then. While soaking, I usually place a spoonful of saunf/fennel seeds packed in a cloth along with the soaking chana dal. The saunf/fennel seeds enhance the crispiness of the dal and lend a special aroma.

Soaked and dried chana dal

2. Dry roast curry leaves in a skillet till crispy, but make sure it does not change colour.  When cooled, crush/powder a few curry leaves.

Curry leaves being dry roasted

3. Place a skillet with one cup cooking oil on medium flame. When hot, place a holed-spatula in it and fry the soaked chana dal in spatula till crispy. Repeat the process in batches for the remaining dal too. Adjusting the flame of your burner to ensure that the dal isn’t over-fried/burnt. Transfer to a colander to allow excess oil to drain out.

Soaked chana dal being fried in oil

4. In the same oil and spatula, fry peanuts too till crispy and transfer it to the same colander.

Peanuts being fried

Fried chana dal and peanuts

5. Transfer fried chana dal, peanuts to a skillet and add chilli powder, turmeric powder, white pepper powder, black salt powder, salt and few roasted curry leaves and and curry leaves powder from step-2 to it. Fry over simmering flame and stir for a few seconds. Enjoy with with upma, bhel or even as a snack by itself !

Powders and salt being added to fried chana dal

6.  Transfer it to an air tight container – it will remain fresh and crispy for more than a week.                                                                                                             A closer view of the snack

Crispy dal with Avrekalu upma

How long it takes: 30 minutes(other than soaking)

Good to remember:

1. Frying should be on medium flame depending upon one’s burner.

2. Adding peanuts is optional.