Spicy masala peanuts or masala tasty nuts are very popular. Baked masala peanuts is an easy recipe to make if you want to avoid deep fry version. Diwali and Holi party is a time when you serve loads of snacks. Especially if you have a huge family in town or want to serve at a party.Some people also call it as chakhna and enjoy eating it with drinks or at tea party. All market based spicy nuts are either fried or too spicy for your taste. Also, there is a lot of weight you may put on if that becomes a habit. Hence, It is always better to bake them at home and enjoy the crunchy snack.
Raw peanuts or shengdana as such are gluten free and vegan. They are full of protein. Great way to spend time during any long journey. I love having it in different ways like roasting them plain, on pohe, satay sauce, boiling them with skin or South Indian peanut chutney.
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Benefits of peanuts
- High in protein and fiber.
- Good source of phosphorus which helps maintain body tissues.
- They improve gut health.
- They are anti-aging.
Note: Kindly check with doctor in case of allergies. Also, kids especially, toddlers and babies need to avoid huge nuts as they can choke over it.
Equipment
- Air fryer or fan forced oven
- Whisk
Ingredients
- raw peanuts or groundnuts without skin
- red lentil flour or chickpea flour + rice flour
- water
Spices
- red chilli powder
- Chaat masala powder
- turmeric powder
- salt as per taste
- oil
Refer to recipe card for details.
Baked masala peanuts recipe | air fryer peanut masala recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer/oven for baking
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanuts / groundnuts with skin
- ⅓ cup red lentil flour
- ⅓ cup water
Spice mix
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder or as per taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- salt as per taste
- 2 teaspoon oil
Instructions
Roast the Peanuts:
- Heat up your air fryer to 170°C (340°F) and add 2 cups of raw peanuts in the basket. Cook them for approximately 7-8 minutes without oil or spices, shaking the basket halfway through for even roasting.
- Take out the peanuts, mix them with oil, and allow them to cool (very crucial otherwise the skin will peel off).
Prepare the Spice Mix & batter
- Combine red lentil flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, chaat masala, and salt in a bowl.
- Gradually mix the remaining lentil flour with an equal amount of water to create a smooth, thick batter. Then, gently stir in a pinch of baking soda.
Coat the Peanuts and air fry
- Pour the batter slowly over the peanuts, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Place parchment paper on the air fryer tray, ensuring proper air circulation with holes.
- Set the air fryer to 170°C (340°F) before placing the coated peanuts on the tray in a single layer. Apply a light spray of oil on the peanuts’ surface.
- Air fry the peanuts for 8 minutes, then remove the parchment paper, spray more oil if necessary, and continue air frying for an extra 2-3 minutes for a crispy texture. Total cook time of 10-11 minutes.
Need more recipes for Diwali?
How to make baked masala peanuts in an air fryer?
1. Preheat air fryer to 170°C (340°F) and add 2 cups of raw peanuts. Shake the basket halfway through for even roasting, no oil or spices, 7-8 minutes.
2. Remove peanuts, combine with oil, and let cool (very important).
3. Add 1-2 teaspoon of lentil flour to the peanuts.
4. Toss the peanuts with red lentil flour.
5. Mix red lentil flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, chaat masala, and salt in a bowl.
6. Gradually mix lentil flour and water until a thick batter forms. Gently add a bit of baking soda.Slowly mix the peanuts with the batter.
7. Use parchment paper with holes for proper air circulation on the air fryer basket. Preheat the air fryer to 170°C (340°F) before adding the peanuts. Lightly spray oil on the peanuts.
8. Air fry peanuts for 8 minutes, then remove parchment paper and continue for 2-3 minutes for crispiness.
Substitutions & Variations
- Instead of red lentil flour, you can use besan(chick pea flour), however add 1-2 tablespoon of rice flour with besan to get crispier results.
- Adjust spices according to your taste. You may add garam masala or chaat masala if you like.
- To make this in the oven
- Follow the same steps at above,just cook peanuts masala recipe in a baking tray for 20-22 minutes at 180C. Oil spray for 2-3 times in between.
Top tip
Grind red lentil flour to make flour in advance using a spice grinder. You can store it in a jar at room temperature.
Storage
Store crunchy masala peanuts at room temperature in an airtight container.
FAQs
Yes, here is a list of Indian recipes you can easily make in air fryer.
They are a healthy snack as long as you are not deep frying
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