Moong Dal Chilla Recipe (Lentil Pancakes)

Create delicious Moong Dal Chilla by using split mung lentils as well as vegetables, spices, and spices. Gluten-free and vegan Indian-style lentil pancakes are a great source of nutrients like fiber, protein, and essential nutritional elements. Serving Moong Dal Chilla at any time throughout the day as an easy meal that can be enjoyed with coffee or tea, or chutney. It is also possible to make your batter and chillas in advance and store chillas for later use.

We like our classic Besan Chilla due to the simplicity of making the batter. However, these moong dal chillas are better because I would rather avoid the use of store-bought flour and instead make it with lentils as an alternative. Moong Dal chillas are more digestible than besan cheela, making these the perfect choice for young children.

About Moong Dal Chilla

Moong dal Chilla are delicious Indian pancakes made of mixed and soaked lentil batter. It’s spiced up with fresh ginger, cumin as well as green chilies, as well as red chilies. Other vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, carrots, and coriander leaves are included to improve the nutritional profile. The batter is poured out into thin pancakes in a hot skillet and then cooked using ghee or oil.

They are a fast breakfast or lunch alternative since you don’t have to think or cook everything in advance. The lentils are soaked for about 15 to 20 minutes and then crushed them using spices. Add the vegetables of your you like and make the batter immediately to prepare the chilla.

I cook these easy moong dal dosas frequently. To make a different version, I like adding oatmeal powder to the moong chilla batter. Combining moong dal with oats gives a unique appearance and flavor. It is delectable, and nobody will even know that there are oats present in the chillas.

It is not required to add oats to this recipe. However, I strongly recommend these for the advantages they bring.

The protein-rich moong dal chillas taste great as a stand-alone dish. But you can also serve them alongside any spiced pickle, chutney, or chutney. Or simply in a hot tea, coffee, or even tea.

If you want to expand the menu, you can serve these by serving them with the Paneer Bhurji filling. Our personal favorites are the Coriander Chutneys, Tomato Chutney, Mint Coconut Chutney, and Garlic Chutney.

It is possible to make them thin, thick, crisp, or soft however you’d like. The thicker batter usually yields crispy chillas, while a runny one produces thin and slightly spongy chillas that are slightly softer. If your batter isn’t dense or runny, then it will create thin, crisp chillas. It will be easy to modify the consistency after you have to make them more than a couple of times.

How to Make Moong Dal Chilla?

Preparation

1. Pour 1 cup moong dal into the bowl of a large one and wash the bowls thoroughly at least three times. Put them in fresh water and allow them to let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. As the lentils are soaking, it is possible to make a Chutney for this. To make a simple, no-cook Chutney, make Coconut chutney Coriander Chutney, or Garlic.
2. In the past, it is possible to skip Oats. When the lentils have soaked in the water, you can add 1 cup of Oats that have been rolled into a blender. You may use instant oats too.
3. Include 2 teaspoons of cumin, three dried chilies (optional), and 1 to 2 teaspoons of red chili flake. I like using low-heat red chilies because they’re much more flavorful and do not create spicy chili.
4. Blend until it is the consistency of a very fine powder. You can use it even if it’s moderately rough. Place it in the bowl.

Make Batter

5. Then, drain the water out of the moong daal and wash thoroughly. In the food processor, add them together with 1″ chopped and peeled ginger, 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric (optional) as well as 1 green chili. The green chili was not used. Chilies. Don’t skip red and green chili. Drink 3/4 cup of water.
6. Make a batter that is smooth.
7. Mix in ground Oats (oats powder) as well as 1/2- 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the amount of salt you use if you don’t eat oatmeal.
8. Mix well with the spatula to create the batter into a consistent consistency. I usually use 1 cup of water to make it into an even, thick consistency. In total, I utilize 1 3/4 cups to blend the lentils as well as for later additions). Be aware when you soak your lentils for longer, you’ll require less water. (You might need around 1 1/4 cups of water)
9. Mix 1 1/2 to 1 cup grated carrots as well as 1/2 cup of coriander leaves. Also, sauteed baby spinach that has been cooled (fine cut). Mix it well.
10. This is what gives consistency to the batter.

Make Moong Dal Chilla

11. Prepare a skillet to very high heat. Once the pan is heated enough, add 1 ladle of batter into the middle of the dish. Pan is supposed to be hot but not boiling hot. Learn my top tips for professional cooks and troubleshooting suggestions below.
12. From the center, you should you can spread the batter out so thin that you are able to.
13. It’s not possible to make them as thin as dosa. But don’t create them too thick.
14. Pour half a teaspoon of ghee or oil over the edges of the moong chilla.
15. Once it’s cooked, the chilla peels away the edges of the pan. Use a spatula to turn it towards the opposite side, and cook, pressing it down using a spatula.
16. It is cooked until there are golden-brown spots appear along both sides. Transfer to a serving dish. For the next moong chilla, turn down the heat to medium. Mix the batter before pouring it over the top of the. If you’ve not added Oats, your batter may be stuck on the pan when the temperature is too high. It is best to cool it down for a few minutes or through cooking the chilla you made earlier in moderate heat. The process will undoubtedly reduce the flames from your pot.

Serve Moong Dal Chilla with Chutney or with coffee or tea. We love this Tomato Chutney.

Pro Tips

• If you soak lentils for longer and use less water, you will need to reduce the amount of water. It is possible that you only need about 1 1/4 cups of water to prepare the batter.
• If you plan to serve them to toddlers or seniors, take the lentils and soak them in warm water for three hours, then rinse them thoroughly. Mix in the oats, as recommended, or make use of two to three tablespoons of rice flour.
• There is no feeling of bloating or experiencing stomach issues due to a shorter soak duration (15 to 20 minutes). I believe cumin and ginger help in digestion. If you suffer from digestive problems, you should soak them for longer than 3 hours before washing them thoroughly.
• I’ve found that cooking them in a hot flame with the highest heat yields more results, and this is because of the addition of oatmeal. If you do not use oats and cook them, ensure they cook on a medium-low flame.
• Prepare the batter in advance: make the batter (without including vegetables) and keep it in an airtight container. You can store it for 2 days in the fridge. Let it sit for a while prior to making the chillas. Stir in the vegetables, then add them and mix. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water in order to bring the consistency.
• Get chillas ready: make chillas, then cool them off on the rack or tray. Then, stack them up and place them in a container made of steel (like a roti container). I typically put the entire container and lid into the Instant Pot and then let it steam for about 3 to 5 minutes, based on how long they’ve been stored in the refrigerator. The bottom part gets somewhat harder while all the rest is smooth.
• Chillas that have been heated: Another alternative is to cook chillas in the oven. Set your oven to at least 480 F and 250 C and put 2 to 3 chillas into a baking tray. I do mine in 2 trays. The heat should be on for about 2-3 minutes. The tray on the bottom takes slightly longer.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Inability to spread batter If the pan is hot or the batter is too thick, it will form a clump and will not allow you to spread it. The pan must be warm but not boiling hot. The batter should be thick but not too thin. It should have a consistency of spreading and pouring. It is possible to splash water over the batter before stirring it.
• The batter sticks to the ladle. If the oven isn’t hot enough, or the batter is excessively thick, the batter may stay on the ladle in the bottom.