Pesarattu (Green Lentil crepes) for great Breakfast Start
By: sonia gupta
Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011 - 6:20am

Ingredients




2 cups skin-on, whole Green lentils (sabut moong dal)
1 cup White Rice
1 green chile, optional
2 tsp coriander leaves
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
Season with salt to taste
Oil/Ghee
For Upma:
1 Cup Semolina (lightly roasted)
Cumin seeds/rai: 1/2 tsp
Onion: 1, finely chopped
Tomato: 1, finely chopped
Nuts : handful
Season with salt/paprika to taste
Coriander to garnish

Preparation

1 Lightly roast the semolina in a non stick pan and take it out. (can be roasted and boxed too) 2 Add ghee in the same pan and splutter cumin and rai. Add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water (triple the quantity of semolina) and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and paprika to taste. When the water starts boiling, gradually add roasted semolina and keep stirring. Garnish with nuts and chopped coriander. 3 Method to make Pesarattu: 4 Wash and soak the lentils and rice in a bowl with warm water. 5 Let it soak for 4-6 hours or preferably overnight. It will make the grains soften to grind. 6 Drain and reserve the water to add gradually to make a fine paste. 7 Now  pulse green lentils, rice, chile, coriander and ginger in a blender or food processor to make a fine and flowing yet thick paste. (add water slowly). 8 Stir the cumin seed and salt into the paste. 9 Preheat a non-stick skillet/ tawa over medium-low heat. And also keep a small bowl of water and kitchen towel ready to wipe the pan in making subsequent dosas. (A vertically sliced onion can also be used) 10 Drizzle some ghee on the tawa and check if its ready. Pour a ladle full of batter in the center and swiftly move it outside in clockwise direction. 11 Drizzle some oil/ghee on the sides and let it cook for couple of minutes. 12 Now flip it on other side and add a filling of upma in the center. 13 Close it in a half way moon style and enjoy with chutney and sambhar.

About

Pesarattu scores over conventional masala dosa for me for two reasons. One, it is made up of whole green lentils (very high in protein and healthy dal). Secondly, it doesn't require fermentation as it is ready to make crepes just after couple of hours of soaking and grinding, so no long wait time for dosa to come in your plater, perhaps, thats the best point about these quick and green crepes.