Masoor Dal ( Crispy & Savory Nimko Snack )

Most nimko is besan, and besan sits heavy after a handful. Masoor is a whole lentil, so a fried snack built on it brings some protein and fibre along with the crunch, which is more than flour alone can say. It is still a fried, salted snack and we sell it as one, not as a health food. But if you want something to keep beside the tea that does not fill you up before dinner, this is the shelf's answer. The seasoning is salt, chilli and a touch of tang, kept balanced so the lentil's own nutty taste survives the frying. In our nimko types guide I have placed it in the full family, next to the daal moth it is so often confused with.

Small pieces soften faster than big ones, and masoor is the smallest piece we fry. Keep it in an airtight jar, away from the steam of the stove, and plan to finish a pack within a few weeks of opening. If a handful ever tastes flat or smells of old oil, it is past its best; fresh masoor smells of lentil and spice, nothing else.

Is masoor dal nimko the same as daal moth? No. Daal moth is whole black masoor built up with crushed sev and spice, a small construction. This is the red masoor lentil on its own, split, fried and seasoned, simpler and lighter.

How spicy is it? Medium. The chilli is present but the lentil leads. Children who eat nimko usually manage it; guests who avoid mirchi entirely are better served by ghatiya.

Does it pair with anything? It is a tea snack first, but a handful scattered over dal chawal or a plain salad gives the bowl a crunch it did not have.

WD Foods is the online store of Wahid Nimco, frying and packing nimko in Quetta since 1990. We deliver across Pakistan in 3 to 5 business days, and the shop on Masjid Road is open daily from 9 AM to 10 PM. The full daal shelf sits in our pulses and sev collection.