Mushroom Free Vegan Pesarattu (Green Gram Dosa)
These crispy, golden crepes are made entirely from whole green moong dal and a handful of pantry staples — no animal products, no fungi, just clean, plant-powered ingredients that deliver serious flavor. The batter comes together by soaking the dal and rice overnight, then blending them with fresh ginger, green chilies, and cumin until silky smooth, so the technique does all the heavy lifting. Once the batter hits a hot, lightly oiled skillet, it spreads into a thin, lacy round that crisps at the edges and turns deeply golden underneath — the kind of texture that makes you want to eat it straight off the pan. Scattered onion and fresh cilantro on top add a little bite and brightness, while the blended ginger chutney — tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a dried red chili — brings a punchy, aromatic dipping sauce that ties everything together. Because the entire recipe is built around legumes, spices, and fresh aromatics, there's nothing to swap out or second-guess; it's naturally free of anything you're avoiding without any compromise to the final dish. This is the kind of recipe that feels special enough for a weekend brunch but is straightforward enough to pull off on a weeknight once you've got the soaking step out of the way.
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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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