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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.

Pesarattu (Green Moong Dal Dosa)From my
kitchen
Moong Dalalso called moong, mung, pesara pappueasy effortweeknight-friendlyprotein-forwardhigh-fiber

- Cook this meal

Ingredients & method

Prep

10 mins

Cook

20 mins

Total

30 mins

Serves

4

scaled from 2 servings - quantities marked “to taste” or “as needed” aren’t adjusted

Ingredients

2 cupwhole green moong dal (pesara pappu), soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight½ cuprice flour

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

  1. 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.

  2. 02

    Add the soaked moong dal, ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds, salt, and enough water to a blender. Grind into a smooth batter.

  3. 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.

  4. 04

    Heat a dosa pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Lightly grease if needed.

  5. 05

    Pour a ladleful of batter onto the pan and spread it into a thin circle like a dosa.

  6. 06

    Sprinkle chopped onions, cilantro, or extra green chilies on top if desired. Press them lightly into the batter.

  7. 07

    Drizzle a little oil around the edges and cook until the bottom becomes crisp and golden.

  8. 08

    Flip if desired and cook the other side briefly, or serve directly once crisp.

  9. 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.