Moong dal chakli is a delicious and crunchy savory snack that is made using rice flour, moong dal( split and skinned green gram) and basic Indian spices. This protein-rich chakli or murukku is light , crunchy and absolutely flavorful. It is a deep-fried snack that can be easily made at home with handy ingredients and an instant recipe. Moong Dal Chakli is gluten-free and vegan and makes for a great evening snack with tea or coffee or as it is on its own. With a good shelf life, it is also served as a festive snack during Indian festivals like Diwali and Janmashtami.
What is Chakli?
Chakli is a deep-fried savory snack that is spiral in shape and has a spiked surface. This snack is usually made using rice and lentils and is a part of the Diwali Faraal ( term used to refer the various sweet and savory snacks made typically during Diwali) in Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. In the South India, this snack is referred to as Murukku. Chakli can be made using different proportion of ingredients and thus it has many versions. A typical Maharashtrian Diwali faraal will have a Bhajni Chakli that is made using bhajni flour ( a blend of roasted and ground rice, lentil and spice mix). Many instant versions of chakli are also there.
Details of the ingredients of Moong Dal Chakli:
- Rice Flour: Rice flour is the main ingredient of this chakli. You can use any variety of good quality rice flour.
- Moong dal / split and skinned green gram: Boiled yellow moong dal is added to the spiced rice flour to make the chakli dough.
- Sesame Seeds: I have used white sesame seeds which add a lovely nutty flavor to the chakli. You may use a combination of both white and black sesame seeds if you wish.
- Carom Seeds: Carom seeds or ajwain helps in digestion and adds a good taste to the snack.
- Red chili powder and salt: This moong dal chakli is seasoned with red chili powder and salt. It can be adjusted as per own taste and preference.
- Turmeric powder: Adds a beautiful yellow color to the chakli.
- Oil: Chakli is deep-fried in oil. Use good quality cooking oil. I have used Sun-flower oil. In Maharashtra, Diwali snack is usually made in groundnut oil.
How to make a perfect Moong Dal Chakli?
The first step in making moong dal chakli is to cook the moong dal. Rinsed green gram is pressure cooked until it is soft. This cooked dal is mashed and added to the rice flour with spice powders and seeds and very little hot oil in a bowl. All the ingredients are mixed well and a semi soft chakli dough is formed. The chakli dough has to be a bit firm than the chapati dough to get good spikes. A very soft dough will soak more oil during deep-frying and also not get good spikes. This dough is added to a murukku/ chakli maker (snack maker) with a single star shaped cutout disk. If you do not have a snack maker, you can try using an icing bag with a star shaped nozzle. The chakli dough is pressed through the snack maker on to a greased surface like a plastic sheet or a butter paper. Moving the wrist into circular motion, the dough is shaped into spirals of around 3-4 rounds. These spirals are then deep fried to make chakli.
Frying the chaklis perfectly is another skill. You have to monitor the temperature of oil at every stage during deep frying a batch of chakli. The oil is first heated on a medium flame and once the spirals are tipped in the temperature is lowered. The spirals are allowed to fry untouched for a minute or so before flipping it. The chaklis are fried from both sides until they turn golden brown and become crisp. The oil bubbles also begin to disappear and the chaklis sink down to the bottom of the pan once it is cooked well. The fried chaklis are removed using slotted ladle or wooden skewer on to an absorbent sheet. Now before next batch of spirals are tipped into the oil, the oil has to be heated on medium flame for few seconds. If the temperature of oil is low, the spirals begin to break off and lose their shape. If the temperature of oil is too high, you would end up in a uncooked burned chakli. The chakli may also disintegrate in the oil if you add more oil while kneading the dough.
Dietary Notes:
- Vegetarian snack
- Vegan (egg and dairy free)
- Gluten-free
- Kid friendly
- Festive Snack
- 2 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup moong dal / split and skinned green gram
- 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder or as per taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
- Rinse the moong dal thoroughly and add it to a vessel with 1 cup water. Place the vessel in a pressure cooker with 2 cups water at its base. Cover with a lid and pressure cook the dal for 2 whistles. Open the lid of the pressure cooker once all the pressure has been released. Mash the dal well.
2. In a mixing bowl take rice flour. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, carom seeds and salt to taste to it. Mix well. Now heat 1 tablespoon oil and add it to the flour. Mix the hot oil with the flour using a spoon.
3. Add cooked and mashed moong dal to the flour and mix well to form a dough. Use little water as required to make a semi soft dough. The dough should be a bit firm then the chapati dough but not too hard.
4. Take a chakli mould or the snacks maker fitted with a single star shaped cutout. Fill the dough into it.
5. Line the working platform or cutting board with a parchment paper and press the snack maker so that the dough comes out through the star shaped cutout on to the parchment paper. Moving the wrist into circular motion, shape the pressed dough into spirals as it comes out. Small spirals with 3 rounds are easy to handle. Break off the end and press it lightly into the last coil to ensure it does not come apart later. Make 4-5 such spirals, one batch at a time. If you make too many ahead of time, they will dry up and the spirals may not hold shape.
6. Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan till moderately hot. To check the readiness of the oil, drop a small ball of dough into it. If it sizzles and comes up to the surface with tiny bubbles around it, within 2-3 seconds then the oil is just right. If it takes more time, let the oil heat up a little more. When the oil is ready, pick up the spirals using a flat spatula, one at a time and slide into the hot oil carefully. Slip in as many spirals as the frying pan can accommodate comfortable without overcrowding.
7. Once in oil leave them untouched, for 1 minute or so. Then touched the spirals with a slotted ladle. If the spiral has turned hard and the color changed to golden, flip the spirals carefully. Fry on the other side for another 1 minute or so and then remove them using a slotted spoon on to a plate lined with an absorbent paper.
- Chakli is made using a murukku / chakli maker (snack maker) with a single star shaped cutout disk. If you do not have a snack maker, you can try using an icing bag with a star shaped nozzle.
- The chakli dough has to be a bit firm than the chapati dough to get good spikes. A very soft dough will soak more oil during deep-frying and also not get good spikes.
- You have to monitor the temperature of oil at every stage during deep frying a batch of chakli. If the temperature of oil is low, the spirals begin to break off and lose their shape. If the temperature of oil is too high, you would end up in a uncooked burned chakli. The chakli may also disintegrate in the oil if you add more oil while kneading the dough.
- Do not make very large chaklis Small spirals with 3 rounds are easy to handle.
- Make only 4-5 chakli spirals for one batch at a time. If you make too many ahead of time, they will dry up and the spirals may not hold shape while frying.
- Store the chaklis in an air-tight container after they have cooled down completely. The chaklis remain good for around 2 weeks at room temperature.
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The चकली is so uniform. Loved the way you have presented them ..I am a big fan of these Maharashtrian style chaklis and always loved munching on them . Thanks for the recipe
ReplyDeleteThank you Priya. Glad that you liked them. These moong dal rice chaklis are comparatively easy as compared to the traditional bhajni chakli we Maharashtrians make. Do give it a try.
DeleteI love munching on crispy chaklis, especially those made Maharashtrian style. Yours look so perfect, all uniform, crunchy and delicious. Would love to indulge in these with a cup of tea. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Priya. We too love to munch on these crispy chaklis with cup.of tea.
DeleteMy kids love to munch on chaklis .. never made these at home, with moong dal recipe sounds so easy.. will surely try it
ReplyDeleteThank you Swaty. Do give this recipe a try and share your feedback with us.
DeleteMoong dal chaklis are so uniformly shaped and crisp. Perfect crunchy snack to have with masala chai.Even we make many types of chakli.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Glad to know that you liked it.
DeleteOne of most favourite Diwali snack. Like how you've used cooked moong dal to make the chakli.
ReplyDeleteMoongdal chakli looking tasty with perfect texture and color Poonam. Loved your tips, they are very helpful to get perfect chakli. Never tried chakli by adding moong dal, will try it soon.
ReplyDeleteIts been ages since I made chakli at home. I do love the idea of using moong dal much easy and delicious. Love the Kaate you have on the chakli tells me that they are crisp. Absolutely melt in the mouth.
ReplyDeletethese are so perfect chakli poonam !
ReplyDeleteso crispy and delicious. wanna have anytime of the day, just passs me few ;)