Mung Dal (Green Gram) Savoury Chilla Pancakes (Dosa) 1, With A Paneer Filling
Moong Dal Dhuli Chilla 1
Yashoda Gupta
Note from Mamta This simple, but tasty recipe comes from my late mum, who did not like very spicy food. Mung dal is the easiest of dal to digest, often given to people recovering from in illness. These Chilla pancakes make a tasty and light meal on their own.
In our parent's house,they were often made for Sunday brunch, served with pickles and a glass of Lassi 3, A Savoury Yoghurt Drink-Maththa or Lassi 1, A Sweet Yoghurt drink .
You can serve them with any filling of choice, this filling (no pictures) comes from my sister in-law Geeta Gupta.
Edited June 2023
Ingredients
1 cup washed, skinless/washed, split moong/mung dal
1/4 tsp. red chilli powder/1 green chilli
1 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
A pinch of asafoetida or hing (optional, added for flavour)
1 tsp. carom seeds/ajwain (optional, added for flavour)
A good pinch of Garam Masala
You can add some finely chopped onions to the batter and some flaked chillies
Filling for the pancake (optional)
1 cup Paneer cheese
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Instructions
Soak the moong dal for a couple of hours.
Place in a blender with 1/2 cup water, salt and hing or asfoetida.
Grind it with water until it makes a slightly coarse paste. You will need to add water slowly, to make sure it doesn't get too runny. It should be pancake batter like consistency so that you can spread it easily.
Add and stir in carom seeds/ajwain and chopped onions.
Add some flaked chillies, if you want the pancakes to be hot.
Making the Filling
Mash the paneer.
Add all other filling ingredients and mix. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Making the Pancakes
Heat a non-stick griddle or tava or a frying pan.
When hot, spread a very thin layer of oil and water mix (mix 1-2 tsp. oil in a 1/4 cup of water), using a kitchen paper/a small piece of cloth dipped in it.
Pour a ladle of the batter in the centre of the griddle. Spread batter in circular motions, until you get a thin pancake. Make sure that the heat is only medium. This allows the dal to cook through properly.
Drizzle a little oil around the edges, it will seep underneath and help to cook the pancake, as well as making it easier to lift/turn over.
You can cover it with a lid for a minute. This helps steam to gather under the lid and cook the pancake thoroughly.
After a couple of minutes, turn over and cook on the other side, uncovered, so it can get crisp. Turn over once or twice more, pressing gently. Make sure it is cooked and crisp…ish. You can cook these pancakes with very little oil, especially if you use a non-stick pan.
Serve hot with a chutney of your choice, like Green Mango Chutney or Imli Chutney or Chilli Sauce or any pickle of choice.
If making these with a filling, once cooked, spread 1 tbsp. filling in the centre and fold over. Press and cook until it is heated through. Serve hot, as above.
