Beef Free Vegan Pesarattu (Green Gram Dosa)
These crispy, lacy crepes are made entirely from whole green moong dal and a handful of pantry staples — no animal products anywhere in the recipe, so there's nothing to swap or second-guess. The batter comes together in a blender after an overnight soak, and the result is a thin, golden dosa with a satisfying crunch at the edges and a tender center. Fresh ginger, green chilies, and cumin seeds are blended right into the batter, so every bite carries a gentle heat and warmth before you even get to the chutney. Scattered onion and cilantro on top add a little freshness and texture as the pesarattu cooks. The ginger coconut chutney alongside is genuinely the kind of condiment you'll want to put on everything — bright from lemon juice, creamy from coconut, and finished with a quick mustard-seed tempering that makes it smell incredible. This is the kind of recipe that feels impressive but relies entirely on straightforward technique and real ingredients you can trust from start to finish.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the batter
- 1 ½ cups whole green moong dal (whole green gram), rinsed
- 2 tbsp raw rice (short-grain or long-grain)
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 green chilies, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
For cooking
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), divided
For the topping
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
For the ginger chutney
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- ½ cup fresh coconut, grated or ½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1 green chili, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3–4 tbsp water
For the chutney tempering
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 8–10 fresh curry leaves
- 1 dried red chili
Instructions
- 1
Combine the whole green moong dal and raw rice in a large bowl, cover with cold water by at least 2 inches, and soak for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
- 2
Drain the soaked dal and rice and transfer to a blender. Add the roughly chopped ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Blend on high until the batter is smooth and pourable — it should be slightly thicker than heavy cream but thin enough to spread easily across the pan. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to reach this consistency.
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