Pesarattu (Green Moong Dal Dosa)
Tiffins & Breads
- Protein
- Moong Dal
- Complete the plate
- A full plate on its own
- Serves
- 2
- Hands-on · total
- 10 min · 30 min (est.)
- Walk-away
- No
Plan ahead: soak moong dal overnight.
From mykitchen
Worth knowing
- Pesarattu is a protein-rich South Indian dosa made primarily with green moong dal and does not require fermentation.
- The soaking time makes the dal easier to grind and helps create a smoother batter.
- Rice flour is added to improve crispiness and gives the pesarattu a better dosa-like texture.
- The batter consistency is important - too thick will make it difficult to spread, while too thin will make the dosa fragile.
- For a classic Andhra-style combination, serve pesarattu with upma (often called MLA pesarattu), but it is equally delicious with ginger chutney or coconut chutney.
- Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Add a little water and mix well before making more dosas.
Day 2 plan
Make the batter ahead and refrigerate. For day two, cook fresh portions rather than storing finished dosas when possible.
- Cook this meal
Ingredients & method
Prep
10 mins
Cook
20 mins
Total
30 mins
Serves
4scaled from 2 servings - quantities marked “to taste” or “as needed” aren’t adjusted
Ingredients
1-inch piece ginger
4-6green chilies (adjust based on spice preference)2 tbspcumin seeds (jeera)to tasteSaltas needed to achieve dosa batter consistencyWater2small onion, finely choppedfor toppingcilantro, finely choppedfor toppingadditional green chilies, finely chopped(optional)Instructions
- 01
Wash and soak the green moong dal for 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain the soaking water before blending. The green moong should be totally edible if you pop one in your mouth.
- 02
Add the soaked moong dal, ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds, salt, and enough water to a blender. Grind into a smooth batter.
- 03
Transfer the batter to a bowl and mix in the rice flour. Add water as needed to get a dosa batter consistency. The batter should be pourable but slightly thicker than regular dosa batter.
- 04
Heat a dosa pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Lightly grease if needed.
- 05
Pour a ladleful of batter onto the pan and spread it into a thin circle like a dosa.
- 06
Sprinkle chopped onions, cilantro, or extra green chilies on top if desired. Press them lightly into the batter.
- 07
Drizzle a little oil around the edges and cook until the bottom becomes crisp and golden.
- 08
Flip if desired and cook the other side briefly, or serve directly once crisp.
- 09
Serve hot with chutney, upma, or your favorite dosa accompaniment.
Worth knowing
- Pesarattu is a protein-rich South Indian dosa made primarily with green moong dal and does not require fermentation.
- The soaking time makes the dal easier to grind and helps create a smoother batter.
- Rice flour is added to improve crispiness and gives the pesarattu a better dosa-like texture.
- The batter consistency is important - too thick will make it difficult to spread, while too thin will make the dosa fragile.
- For a classic Andhra-style combination, serve pesarattu with upma (often called MLA pesarattu), but it is equally delicious with ginger chutney or coconut chutney.
- Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Add a little water and mix well before making more dosas.
Day 2 plan
Make the batter ahead and refrigerate. For day two, cook fresh portions rather than storing finished dosas when possible.
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