MASALA PEANUTS / SPICED PEANUTS

 The crispy, savoury coated Masala Peanuts is a perfect snack and an old-time favourite. But have you ever thought of making Masala Peanuts at home? Well, the same best-selling snack can be made in your home kitchen! You don’t have to use any special ingredients or kitchen tools to make this spicy Peanuts recipe. Get some Peanuts in a mixing bowl. These masala peanuts are made by combining gram flour and rice flour in a particular proportion (check the recipe below). This delightful vegan snack is a perfect combination of heat and spice. It tastes just like the store brought ones and you will be surprised how easy it is to make them at home. This can be made more or less spicy by adjusting the chili powder. Masala Peanuts are delicious, crispy munchies. If you are craving for a nutty treat, these are hearty enough to satisfy you. It is a zesty, crunchy snack, deep-fried to crispy golden. I love the simplicity of these old fashioned snack recipes. It is a perfect snack recipe, especially when you have made plans to spend the day watching sports on TV. Peanuts are loaded with protein, fiber, healthy fats; and roasted Masala Peanuts have distinctive flavours that adds to the appeal. The only problem with these peanut goodies is that your hands won’t stop digging into the jar! It is hard to resist your cravings when you listen to the satisfying crunch of nuts around you. Let your taste buds indulge in and bring back the memories etched in your mind. Enjoy! Here is the simple, deliciously crispy masala peanuts recipe.

 Give it a try and do share your feedback about the recipe with us.

INGREDIENTS :

For Coating -

2 Cup Peanuts

1 Gram Flour/Besan

3 tablespoons Rice Flour

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Citric Acid

Salt to taste

Pinch of Tandoori Food Colour ( optional )

3/4 - 1 Cup Water

Enough Oil for frying

For Masala - 

10 - 12 Cloves

25-30 Black Peppercorns

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 teaspoon Black Salt

1/2 teaspoon Rock Salt

1" Cinnamon stick

2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

1 teaspoon spicy Red Chilli Powder ( optional ) ( see notes )(or according to your spice tolerance)

1 teaspoon Aamchur / Dry Mango Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

METHOD :

For making fresh masala powder- 

STEP 1 - In small chutney pot, add all the ingredients for masala.

STEP 2 - Blend it to make a fine powder. 

STEP 3 - Your chatpata masala is ready . Transfer it to a bowl and keep this aside.

For making Masala Peanuts -

STEP 1 - Add gram flour, rice flour, citric acid, baking soda, salt in a mixing bowl. Mix it well using a spoon.

STEP 2 - Now, add Water to this mixture and prepare a thick batter of it.

STEP 3 - Put the peanuts in the batter and mix well so that the peanuts get covered with the flour batter.

STEP 4 - Heat sufficient oil in a kadai for deep-frying. 

STEP 5 - Make sure the flame is not too high. ( see notes )

STEP 6 - Take small portions of peanut masala mix and put in hot oil. Fry the peanuts in 2 - 3 batches.

STEP 7 - With the help of a spoon or fork, separate the lumps while frying.

STEP 8 - Stir the peanuts for even frying.

STEP 9 - When the coating turns golden brown drain with a slotted spoon. ( see notes ) It will take approximately 7-8 minutes for one batch.

STEP 10 - Transfer to a plate lined with tissues.

STEP 11 - Immediately, take them out in a plate / bowl and sprinkle some freshly ground  masala powder on it.

STEP 12 - Mix well and make sure that the peanuts were well coated with the masala. ( see notes )

STEP 13 - Collect them to a bigger bowl. Allow to cool well and enjoy the deliciously crunchy masala peanuts.

Serve them with a hot cup of tea or store them in an air-tight container for later use.

My jars usually get emptied within a day or two, so it is really hard to tell how long it will stay!

NOTES : * Adjust the spices according to your taste.

* There is no need to use roasted peanuts for this recipe. You can use raw peanuts directly in the flour batter.

 * I used rice flour and gram flour to make the masala coating, and both these flours are good enough to make the crunchy and crispy Peanuts.

* Citric Acid acts as a preservative and also helps in getting a sour/tangy taste to the dish.

* I have used Aamchur powder to give it nice chatpata taste, but feel free to use chaat masala p instead of it. It gives more authentic chaat-like flavor. 

* I got the best results and perfect crunchy texture with medium-hot oil. So keep the flame on medium. If you fry them on high flame, the coating color changes to very dark brown and the peanuts remained uncooked.

* Each batch will take almost 7-8 minutes to be done . So be patient.

* I have used both spicy red chili powder and  kashmiri chilli powder for this recipe. * If you want only firey red color to your peanuts, you may skip  red chili powder.

* Keep in mind that you have to coat the fried peanuts when they are hot. So do it immediately after frying each batch. It helps to coat them with masala evenly.

* These Peanuts can last really long if you can preserve them in an air-tight container.

* You may also bake masala peanuts in the oven for a healthier version; however, deep fried masala peanuts are tastier and crunchier.