Moong dal tikki

Moong dal tikki is the evening snack that behaves like a meal. Crisp on the outside, soft inside, and dunked in mint chutney, it satisfies the samosa mood without the deep frying. Two tikkis with chai and you are genuinely done, not just paused.

Why it helps

Moong dal is protein-rich and easy on the stomach, so these tikkis fill you up properly instead of just filling time. That matters in the evening, when snacking often has more to do with habit and stress than real hunger. If that sounds familiar, our note on emotional eating may help too. See where moong sits among high-protein Indian foods.

Ingredients (serves 3)

• 1 cup yellow moong dal, soaked for 2 to 3 hours (plan this in advance, it is the only wait in the recipe)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted jeera powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 tablespoons besan or rice flour, for binding
• 2 to 3 teaspoons oil, for pan frying
• Mint chutney, to serve

Method

1. Drain the soaked dal fully and grind it coarsely with the ginger and green chilli, using little to no water. A thick, grainy paste binds best.
2. Mix in the onion, turmeric, jeera powder, salt, coriander and besan. The mixture should hold its shape when pressed.
3. Wet your palms and shape the mixture into small, flat tikkis.
4. Heat a tawa on medium and brush with oil.
5. Place the tikkis on the tawa and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the base turns golden.
6. Flip gently, drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges, and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.
7. Serve hot with mint chutney and, if you like, a bowl of curd on the side.

Make it your own

• Add grated carrot, chopped spinach or crumbled paneer to the mixture for extra colour and nutrition.
• Tuck two tikkis into a whole wheat roti with chutney and salad for a quick frankie-style dinner.
• Shape and refrigerate the raw tikkis in the morning, then pan fry fresh at snack time. They also make a lovely festival evening plate.

Enjoy it as part of the CurviCare Plate, or try pesarattu moong dosa for another moong favourite.