How to make easy and instant moong dal chakli (video recipe)

Moong dal chakli or hesaru bele chakli recipe with step by step photos and a quick detailed video. Moong dal chakli is deep fried South Indian snack.

These are made of combination of rice flour and lentils. This is a easy and simple recipe.

A completely dairy free and glutenfree recipe. A delicious crispy instant snack recipe. The other name of this homemade chakli is murukku, muchore in South India.

This a South Indian style chakli recipe using rice flour. An instant chakli recipe which makes it easier to prepare even for beginners.

Murukku is mainly used by people of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. However people from Karnataka, Maharashtra call these as chakli. Over the years each family have developed their own chakli flour mixture combination. 

These spiral shaped concentric crunchy crispy snacks are made during festivals in many parts of India. These moong dal chakli is glutenfree and vegan or dairy free recipe.

Since these are deep fried I don’t tell my kids these are healthy however when compared to store brought these have an upper hand.

Chakli as a part of Diwali snacks in many of South Indian states. Today I am sharing a legacy recipe passed down from my paternal grandmother to me when I was a child. This shows how crazy I was to cook even during my childhood days.  

So here is another recipe from my Grandmothers kitchen!!!!

Different regions of India follow and prepare chakli in different method. For instance, in few regions use whole wheat flour. Others use only freshly ground rice flour.

Few people use freshly ground or cooked lentils with rice flour. Few families make a combination of lentils and rice mixture. These days the biggest variant is baking these chakli, that’s so healthy.

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Main ingredients and equipment’s in making moong dal chakli

Lets gather the ingredients for making moong dal chakli:

Chakli maker or presser (I have purchased this from local market)

This chakli is made of fresh and fine rice flour (Affiliate Link)

Moong dal or hesaru bele or husked split green gram or split green gram. (Affiliate Link)

Roasted cumin seeds

Salt as per taste

Refined oil

If you are looking for some delicious and tasty snacks for any festive season then click on these

How to make moong dal chakli or hesaru bele chakli, step by step recipe.

To get perfect moong dal chakli follow my detailed step-by-step photos and videos tutorial with tips and tricks.

Step by step recipe details:

Cooking moong dal or hesaru bele

Clean moong dal and wash with water until all the impurities are removed. Add water as mentioned under ingredients list. Pressure cook the moong dal until it is soft enough to handle.

Allow the pressure to release slowly and mash the cooked dal into fine texture. Let cool this mixture until its warm enough to handle. Do not cool the cooked dal completely.

Making dough for instant chakli

Take rice flour in a mixing bowl, add roasted cumin, salt as per taste. You can check the taste of flour here to adjust salt and spices.

Add hot oil and mix everything well. When pressed the flour should come together as seen in the picture below. This is important step.

Then add mashed dal, mix again. Add 1 or 2 tbsp water at a time and knead to prepare dough. Make a soft pliable dough by adding little water at a time. Do not add too much water. (Check the video for the texture of chakli dough).

Keep this dough closed for 15 minutes. This helps the flavours to blend well with flour.

In the mean while we will prepare the chakli presser. Apply any oil on the inner surface of chakli presser. This acts as grease to the easy flow of dough while preparing the chakli.

Use star nozzle plate to prepare chakli.

How to make chakli?

Moong dal chakli dough can be divided into 3 or 4 parts as per the size of the presser.

Make log of the dough and fill the chakli maker. Close the lid and press it downwards to shape the dough into spirals.

Start making chakli in circular manner on small parchment paper. This helps to easily remove them and to drop them in hot oil.

Start by moving your hand from inner center towards outside. I usually make 4 or 5 medium sized spiral chakli in one batch. 

Tightly press the ends to secure the edges. Check the video recipe for further details.

How to deep fry moong dal chakli?

Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat. Check heat of oil by dropping a small bit of dough into oil. The dough ball should rise slowly to the surface. This indicates oil is perfect to deep fry chakli.

Carefully drop the moong dal chakli one at time and do not overcrowd the frying pan. Do not disturb them for a minute, later turn them over.

After 2 to 3 minutes, sizzling of oil stops and chakli settles at the bottom of pan. This indicates chakli is done.

Remove them oil and drain crispy tasty chakli on kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.

Cool the fried chakli and store them in airtight container. Serve them with coffee or tea. Enjoy as evening snack with your loved ones.

Important tips to get a perfect instant moong dal chakli

Sift the rice flour to remove any lumps or residues or impurities. Mix the dry ingredients well to ensure they taste well.

When preparing the dough make sure to carefully add water. We do not want chakli dough to be very soft or too hard so add water little at a time.

The quantity of water is mainly dependent on type of rice flour used in the recipe.

Adjust salt as per taste preference. If you want more flavour of roasted cumin then add more quantity. In this step we can add or delete flavours to chakli.

Red chili powder, ajwain, asfoetida or whole cumin can also be added.

If you prefer spicy chakli add more red chili powder. However, while frying be careful not to over cook or undercook as the colour of dough is already reddish brown.

If the chakli is absorbing more oil, it indicates that you have more oil or butter to the chakli. So to overcome this best option is add little rice flour and prepare the dough balls.

The major problem that might arise while frying the chakli is they break in hot oil. This can be due to more of inappropriate measuring of moong dal.

This makes the chakli to break in oil. So how can we overcome this, by adding 2 to 3 tbsp rice flour and knead again.

Always check the temperature or hotness of oil before starting the deep frying of chakli.

So how do we check this, take a small ball of dough and drop it in oil. If the ball comes up gradually, then oil is ready to fry.

If the dough settles at the bottom then the oil needs to heat for some more time. The other possibility is if the dough ball comes up immediately then the oil is too hot.

Then we have to reduce the flame or heat to low and then wait for some time before frying the chakli.

Do not allow the dough to dry at any point of time. When we press the chakli on the butter paper, do this in batches. If you plan to fry three or four chakli at a time, then press only those many on butter paper.

Do not make large batches and do not allow them to dry. This will make the chakli to break in hot oil.

After you roll the chakli on the butter paper, make sure to press the inner end to inner side and outer end to outer side of the chakli. If this is not taken care then the chakli will open up when you drop them in hot oil.

Tips during deep frying chakli

Deep frying moong dal chakli is important step. If we go wrong at this stage, chakli doesn’t taste good.

First important point is the temperature of oil while frying. Right hotness of oil is important for the colour and texture of chakli.

If the oil is too hot, then chakli will turn dark brown very soon and the chakli becomes soft from inside and the spikes or thorn like structure of chakli becomes dark brown.

However if the oil is not hot enough, moon dal chakli absorb more oil and later becomes soggy.

The best and simple method to follow while preparing these chakli is as follows

Slowly slide the prepared spiral chakli in hot oil. Do not over crowd the chakli in hot oil. Add three or four chakli as per the size of your frying pan used for the recipe.

After you add the chakli into the oil, do not disturb the chakli with a slotted ladle. If you are tempted to touch the chaklis, they will be soft and break in hot oil.

After a minute on medium flame, flip them over one at time and fry again. This way you are ensuring they are evenly cooked on all sides.

When the chakli are slided into hot oil, you can see the oil sizzling. Similarly when chakli are cooked well, they settle at the bottom and sizzlling sound reduces.

Immediately remove them and place them on kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.

The time taken to cook one batch of chakli is nearly 3 to 4 minutes depending on the size of pan and number of chakli you are frying.

Slotted ladle helps to remove excess from the chakli. So make sure to use such ladles.

FAQ about this moong dal chakli

CAN I USE ROASTED RICE FLOUR IN THIS RECIPE?

Yes roasted rice flour can used in this recipe. However I have used normal store brought rice flour.

HOW ABOUT USING OTHER FLOURS AND LENTILS?

This recipe is purely rice flour and mong dal which you can instantly prepare them during festive seasons and other occasions. The aroma of moong dal and roasted cumin gives a unique flavour to this chakli.

If you wish to use other flours the chakli will surely taste different.

CAN I USE PLAIN CUMIN INSTEAD OF ROASTED CUMIN?

This is again purely optional, roasted cumin gives a earthy aroma to the moong dal chakli. However plain cumin can also be used.

CAN WE REPLACE WITH ANY OTHER GLUTENFREE FLOURS?

I haven’t tried this recipe with other glutenfree flours. I would expect that the texture and flavours may change with quantity of water required.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF OIL IN DOUGH?

Hot oil used in the recipe is also one of the reasons for the crispiness of chakli. Any fat like butter or ghee can be used. However to make it vegan or dairy free hot oil is added.

WHICH KIND OF RICE FLOUR IS USED?

I have used white rice flour and have never tried with brown rice flour. White rice flour is lighter than brown rice flour.  Therefore brown rice flour may require more water while preparing the dough.

WHERE CAN I FIND GLUTENFREE RICE FLOUR?

In general rice flours are glutenfree. I have used store brought rice flour in this recipe. However, please do check with labels for glutenfree contamination if you are allergic. Rice flour can be prepared at home.

Here I am giving a simple method. Clean and wash rice twice or thrice to remove the impurities. Soak the rice in clean water for 15 minutes.

Drain the water, spread evenly on a muslin cloth and shade dry them for one hour. Powder this into fine texture and use them in making moong dal chakli. This rice flour cannot be stored for long time.

WHICH MOONG DAL IS USED?

Dry and clean moong dal or hesaru bele or split green gram is used in making chakli. They should be dehusked split green gram.

HOW TO COOK MOONG DAL?

Cooking moong dal and mashing it well is very important step in this recipe. Care should be taken to add proper quantity of water as mentioned in the recipe.

Do not add more water, this might later make the dough very soft and chakli would break or dissolve in hot oil.

However, that doesn’t mean we have to add less water. Add water in 1:3 ratio (that is one part of moong dal and 3 parts of water). If you add less water, dal will not cook and remains of dal in chakli will be troublesome.

This quantity of water is perfect to get well cooked moong dal. Later water can be adjusted while preparing the soft dough.

HOW LONG CAN THESE CHAKLI BE STORED?

These moong dal chakli can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks in airtight container at room temperature.

CAN THE CHAKLI DOUGH BE REFRIGERATED?

No the dough cannot be refrigerated. The dough should be used immediately when prepared for making chakli. If the dough is refrigerated, it will tighten up and loose moisture.

HOW TO PREPARE THE CHAKLI PRESSER?

Before we start making chakli, the inside of presser wall should be greased with oil for easy flow of the dough toward the nozzle. Even the single star plate should also be greased.

WHAT IS THE CONSISTENCY OF CHAKLI DOUGH?

Moong dal chakli dough should not be either too soft or too hard. The dough should not stick to your palm when kneading. You can check the consistency of dough in video I have given. Add water little at a time, knead the dough to a pliable form.

HOW TO STORE THEM?

Do not store the hot chakli in airtight container. This makes the chakli soft or soggy due to moisture from hot chakli. Always cool the chakli and then store in air tight container.

Do not keep the chakli open for long time. The moisture in air makes them less crispy.

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