Moong Dal Cheela
This Moong Dal Cheela is a savory Indian pancake made from a simple, protein-packed lentil batter, perfect for a healthy breakfast or light meal. It cooks up quickly and is naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow lentils)
- 0.5 medium onion, finely chopped
- 0.5 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1.5 medium green chilies, finely chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 0.5 teaspoon red chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon garam masala
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 0.25 cup water (for grinding)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (for cooking cheelas)
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup yellow moong dal thoroughly under running water. Place the rinsed dal in a bowl, add enough fresh water to cover it by at least 1 inch, and let it soak for 3-4 hours. You can also soak it overnight.
- After soaking, drain all the water from the moong dal. Transfer the soaked and drained moong dal to a blender. Add 0.25 cup fresh water, 1.5 medium green chilies, and 0.5 teaspoon grated fresh ginger to the blender.
- Blend until you get a smooth batter, similar to a pancake batter consistency. If the batter is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons more water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl.
- To the batter, add 0.5 medium finely chopped onion, 0.5 medium finely chopped green bell pepper, 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder, 0.5 teaspoon red chili powder, 0.5 teaspoon garam masala, 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder, and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Mix everything well to combine.
- Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with 0.5 teaspoon cooking oil. Once hot, pour approximately 0.5 cup of the batter onto the center of the pan.
- Quickly spread the batter evenly in a circular motion to form a thin, round pancake about 6-7 inches in diameter.
- Drizzle 0.5 teaspoon cooking oil around the edges and on top of the cheela. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden brown and the edges start to lift.
- Flip the cheela and cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes, or until it's cooked through and has golden spots. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, greasing the pan lightly before each cheela.
- Once cooked, transfer the Moong Dal Cheela to a serving plate. Garnish each cheela with a sprinkle of 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro and serve immediately with green chutney or yogurt.