Oven: Dal Namkeen, Roasted Crunchy Chaat Masala French Lentils
August 17, 2024
INDIANS HAVE BEEN EATING CRUNCHY LENTILS forever - so when the Internet caught wind, for me, it was kind of amusing. All of a sudden you had 'influencers' posting videos of roasted lentils on salads, sprinkled into hummus, and simply eaten as a tasty snack. Again, something we've been doing with our lentils forever. The difference and the learning curve for the Indian community is that the lentils we purchase spiced and as a snack typically comes in a bag from a store. And, they are fried. But, you can make these lentil snacks as tasty in the oven and eliminate the frying completely - something important to those of us who are health conscious and who want to eliminate the extra ingredients. Now you know exactly what's in your snack. I am on a mission to limit these store-bought options in my home and give my husband, kids, and parents my own homemade versions using my own spice blend - chaat masala. I showed you how to do this with yellow moong dalnamkeenhere. And now, I will show you how to make this with whole lentils. The whole lentil does not break down when you boil it in water - important when we go to bake it. Remember, namkeen is simply a term in Hindi we give to snacks that are salty and savory. For my Air Fryer chickpea popper recipe click here. xoxo Anupy.
Oven: Dal Namkeen, Roasted Crunchy Chaat Masala French Lentils
1 cup French lentils*, washed 1 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons oil (coconut, avocado, or olive) 2 teaspoons chaat masala
1. Adjust your oven rack to the second-from-the-top position and pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Simmer the lentils, water, and salt in a partially covered pot until the water is just about gone. Turn the burner off and completely cover the pot. Let the lentils sit and soften for another 5 minutes. If you want a crunchier texture after baking, then simply reduce the water to 3/4 cup though I do think they come out a little too crunchy/hard if you do that. Most recipes call to add the salt later. I prefer to do it here so that it is better absorbed by the lentils.
3. Once the lentils are cooked - they should be soft enough for you to be able to bite into them, but they should still be al dente and hold their shape. Add the oil and chaat masala. Stir until everything is well combined.
4. Transfer the spiced lentils to a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. I say large here because you want the lentils to be in a single layer for best results and maximum crunch. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove, stir, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool the lentils completely - let them sit at least 5 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl or glass jar and enjoy. These will last for several weeks. There's no need to refrigerate.
* The type of lentils you use matters. Go for a French lentil which will hold its shape even after cooking.
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