Healthy Snack – Masoor Daal Chila

Lentils or daals can be prepared in many ways. They are a rich source of proteins, carbs and minerals; however, many times, we may run the risk of reducing the nutritional content due to overcooking. Hence, to maximise the nutritional benefits of lentils, here’s an alternative way to prepare them.  
 
Blend soaked urad and masoor daal for a few hours. Add a chiselled piece of ginger, green chillies, a few curry leaves (optional), and sprigs of coriander leaves. Prepare a thick batter, similar to a dosa batter, and set aside. 

Whenever I need to prepare a healthy, guilt-free snack, I dole out a few spoonfuls of this batter, add a pinch of hing and salt to taste, add a couple of spoonfuls of sooji, and allow it to rest. Adding sooji to this batter helps make the dosas crispy. 

When preparing the masoor dal dosa, I add chopped coriander powder and sprinkle chaat masala.  Once done, it’s ready to be devoured with homemade mint, coriander chutney, hung curd, sweet and tangy mango chutney, or whatever you fancy.  

Since these masoor daal dosas are neutral in taste, you can easily have them with your choice of accompaniments. 

Food should be simple, soulful and nourishing. Too many fancy ingredients may dampen enthusiasm and dilute nutritional benefits. Keeping recipes simple, functional and nutritious is key.  

Try this recipe sometime. You can always change the lentils of your choice. Using one or two combinations of daals is ideal, as it can become difficult to digest a lot of daals together.  And if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to a stuffed parantha or pakodas this could be a more nutritious option.