If you’re tired of eating simple lentils, rice, and wheat rotis every day and crave something spicy and tasty for lunch, then this masala chana dal puri can be a great option for you. You’ve likely eaten simple puris made from wheat flour many times, but this puri prepared with chana dal and spices is completely different in taste.

Crispy on the outside and spicy on the inside, this puri is so delicious that it doesn’t require any special vegetable to eat. It can be served with pickle, yogurt, chutney, or hot tea. The special thing is that the recipe isn’t too difficult. With a little preparation, you can easily make crispy masala puri at home.

Ingredients

Wheat flour – 1 cup

Chana dal – 1/2 cup

Green chili – 1, finely chopped

Celery – 1 teaspoon

Cumin – 1/2 teaspoon

Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric – 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala – a little

Salt – to taste

Coriander leaves – finely chopped

Water as needed

Oil for frying the puris

Method

First, wash the chana dal thoroughly and soak it in water for a few hours. Drain the dal and strain it thoroughly. Now, put it in a mixer and grind it coarsely.

Make sure the dal paste is not too fine or runny. A coarse dal paste will give the puris the best texture.

Place the wheat flour in a large bowl. Add the ground chana dal, green chili, carom seeds, cumin seeds, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and coriander leaves.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Add water little by little and knead into a stiff dough. Don’t make the dough too soft, otherwise it may be difficult to roll the puris.

Cover the dough and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. This will allow the dough to set well and the spices to infuse it with flavor.

Now make small balls of dough. Take one ball and apply a little oil to it and roll it out. The puri should be neither too thin nor too thick. Prepare all the puris in the same manner.

Now heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, add a puri and fry it until golden and crisp on both sides.

Press the puri gently in the middle to puff up evenly. Transfer the puris to a plate and place them on tissue paper to drain off any excess oil.

Chana dal masala puri can be served with mango pickle, yogurt, green chutney, or a light potato curry.