Nei Kadalai is a crunchy and spicy snack popular among south Indians, this can be prepared in bulks and stored in an air-tight container once it reaches room temperature. It stays fresh for a week time. Not only as a snack, this goes out well with a cup of coffee or tea and also a perfect side dish for curd rice and lemon rice.

Nei Kadalai / How to make Nei kadalai / Roasted Channa dal – Indian snack

Nei Kadalai is prepared by soaking split chick pea or kadalai paruppu in water for few hrs, later deep fried in oil and mixed with spice powders. You can adjust the level of spice powder as per your taste. Let me share the recipe…

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Ingredients:

• Split Chick peas / Kadala Paruppu / Channa dal – 1 cup
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Oil – 2 cups (for deep frying)

Making of Nei Kadalai recipe –

Preparation:

• Soak channa dal / kadala paruppu / split chick pea in a bowl of water, for almost 6 hrs.
• Drain the water completely, pat it well with a cloth, spread it over a cloth and let it dry for 30 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add in a spoonful of channa dal / kadala paruppu to it, fry them until the turn golden brown or ooze sound goes off.
• Drain the oil and remove it from fire. Let it rest for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile deep fry the curry leaves in the oil, drain the oil, remove it from fire.
• Add it to the roasted channa dal, wait until it reaches room temperature (else if the masala powders are added, it would become soggy)
• Sprinkle chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, salt and Mix it well, only when it reaches room temperature.
• Store it in an air-tight container, it stays fresh for a week.

Note: Fry the soaked channa dal, once when the whole water is drained, else it would splatter when it’s getting fried in oil. Cook in medium flame, otherwise it would get burnt easily.