Pesarattu Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole moong beans (green gram)
• ¾ inch ginger piece
• 2 green chilies (reduce for kids)
• ½ to 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or jeera)
• 1 to 2 tablespoon raw rice (optional, not authentic)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons ghee (adjust to taste) (or oil)

toppings for pesarattu (optional)

• 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions (about ¾ cup chopped)
• 2 green chilies (chopped)

Steps

Preparation

1. Put the green gram and optional rice in a large bowl and rinse thoroughly a few times.
2. Leave them in fresh water to soak about 4 to 6 hours, then drain and rinse thoroughly.
3. Put the moong dal, green chilies, cumin seeds, ginger and salt in a blender jar. Add only enough water to make a thick batter.
4. Blend to a slightly coarse or smooth batter, as preferred. I usually blend it to a coarse, fine-semolina texture.
5. The batter needs to pour while remaining thick and spreadable.
6. Add more water only if needed for consistency. Avoid making it runny, because the pesarattu would not become crispy.
7. For the optional topping, heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a pan. Sauté cumin seeds, onions and green chilies over a medium high flame until transparent but still crunchy. This brings out the onion's sweet flavor; do not let them become soft. Cool fully.

How to make pesarattu

1. Set a tawa or non-stick griddle over a medium flame to heat.
2. On a hot cast-iron pan, drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee, rub with a slice of onion and wipe away the excess to prevent sticking. A non-stick pan does not need greasing.
3. Sprinkle on a little water to test: it should sizzle rapidly at once. Once that water evaporates, lower the flame to medium.
4. Pour ½ to ¾ cup batter onto the tawa, then quickly spread a thin layer from the middle outward to the pan's edges.
5. Cook over low to medium heat for a few minutes. Pour 1 teaspoon ghee around the edges and into the center as well.
6. For a thin pesarattu, optionally use a wooden spatula to scrape the thick areas lightly toward the thinner ones to even them out. (Check the step-by-step photos above.)
7. Done pesarattu begins pulling away at the edges and becomes golden and crisp on the outside.
8. Flip and cook the other side for just a minute or so. Once no raw batter remains, flip back and roast for just a minute until crisp. If desired, sprinkle on 1 to 2 teaspoons fried onions here, or as much as you like.
9. Fold the pesarattu and move it to a serving plate. Do not cook it so long that it browns or discolors, as that changes the taste.
10. For the next pesarattu, make sure the pan is not too hot. Lower the flame and let it cool a little. You may rub a cast-iron pan with onion and a few drops of oil again.
11. Stir the batter thoroughly before using it for the next pesarattu.
12. These are best served hot with ginger chutney and are eaten alongside rava upma.