Turkey 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, and absolutely nothing that would raise a flag for anyone avoiding poultry. The batter comes together by soaking the dal and rice overnight, then blending them with fresh ginger, green chilies, and cumin into a smooth, pourable consistency that cooks up beautifully golden on a hot skillet. A scatter of chopped onion and cilantro pressed into the surface adds freshness and a little texture to every bite. The real showstopper is the ginger chutney — blended coconut, zingy lemon juice, and a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chili poured right over the top, making it fragrant and deeply savory. This is the kind of dish that feels impressive but relies entirely on simple, whole ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Serve them straight off the pan while the edges are still crisp, because pesarattu waits for no one.
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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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