Lentils are great for you- they’re packed with protein and super versatile and easy to work with. And guess what? This spicy and crispy moong dal namkeen recipe is the perfect example!
It has all the crunch and flavor you’re craving from your evening tea time snack, but in a healthier format. Best of all, it takes just a few minutes to put together, and once you try this out, you’ll never go back to any packaged snacks.
Scroll down to take a closer look at everything you need to know about making this easy snack.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need just 5 simple ingredients to make the crispy moong dal namkeen.
- Moong dal (soaked): 1 cup
- Oil: For frying
- Salt: ½ tbsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tsp
- Chaat masala: 1 tsp
How to Make the Spicy and Crispy Moong Dal Namkeen
Once you have your ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the moong dal namkeen.
Soak the moong dal for at least 30 minutes.
Next drain the water and lay out the soaked moong dal on a kitchen towel. Use another kitchen towel to dry the moong dal completely.
Heat oil for frying. Once the moong dal is completely dry, transfer to the oil.
Fry for 7-10 minutes or until the chana dal is crisp. Make sure they do not burn.
Transfer the fried moong dal to a kitchen towel and soak the excess oil.
Transfer the fried moong dal to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, red chili powder, and chaat masala.
Enjoy this delightful snack with a cup of tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The best way to ensure that this moong dal namkeen is completely cooked is to first soak the dal, dry it and then fry it until crispy.
Soaking also helps reduce the phytic acid content in lentils, which helps make them easier to digest.
Ideally, you should soak the moong dal for 4-6 hours, but if you’re on a time crunch, a quick 30 minute soak should do the trick too. 
You sure can! Doing this will reduce the amount of fat you’re using, which will make the snack healthier.
On the downside, the risk of the moong dal ending up burnt can be quite high in both these cooking methods, because both the oven and the Air Fryer tend to use high temperatures to cook food, and can be more difficult to control.
The best part about this recipe is the fact that you can customize and tweak the flavors based on your personal taste preference. A simple mix of chili powder and chaat masala is one you can never go wrong with, but if you really want to, you can try out other variations too.
Italian seasoning, peri peri seasoning and even powdered ranch mix can be great choices. If not, you can also stick to the simple salt and pepper seasoning too!
Your batch of crispy moong dal namkeen can be stored at room temperature for a week, if not more. Make sure you store the dal in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.
If you want to crisp up the moong dal, you can pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and then serve! 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Spicy and Crispy Moong Dal Namkeen
While making these spicy and crisp moong dal namkeen , you might want to have these little tips and tricks handy.
- Moong dal is one of the simplest, versatile lentils to cook with. It is also very small, which is why it is best to use a mesh strainer to remove it from the oil.
- You can also use a slotted spoon or a regular spoon to get it out, but since the dal is really small, you’ll be at a risk of it getting burnt pretty quickly, which is why, it is best to use a mesh strainer which can help you get the dal out of the hot oil quickly at the right time.
- Maintaining the right temperature of the oil will ensure that the moong dal namkeen turns out nice and crispy. The oil should neither be too hot nor too cold.
- You can do a quick test by dropping a couple of grains of the dal in the oil. If they start to sizzle and come up onto the surface of the oil, the oil is hot enough.
- Make sure you transfer the moong dal from the oil into a plate lined with some paper towels, which will catch and absorb all the excess oil. At this point, when the dal is still hot, add the seasonings in and toss.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This crispy and flavorful moong dal namkeen can be enjoyed at any time of the day. You can carry it along with you as a snack to have on the go, or serve it with some tea or coffee as an evening snack.
If this crispy moong snack turns out to be a success and you’re ready to experiment with some more fun and interesting recipes, you might want to give these recipes a shot.
📖 Recipe
Spicy and Crispy Moong Dal Namkeen
Ingredients
- 1 cup Moong dal , (soaked)
- 1 cup Oil
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Chaat masala
Instructions
- Soak the moong dal for at least 30 minutes.
- Next drain the water and lay out the soaked moong dal on a kitchen towel. Use another kitchen towel to dry the moong dal completely.
- Heat oil for frying. Once the moong dal is completely dry, transfer to the oil.
- Fry for 7-10 minutes or until the chana dal is crisp. Make sure they do not burn.
- Transfer the fried moong dal to a kitchen towel and soak the excess oil.
- Transfer the fried moong dal to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, red chili powder, and chaat masala.
- Enjoy this delightful snack with a cup of tea.
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