Turmeric 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 fermentation required, just an overnight soak and a quick blend. The batter comes together with fresh ginger, green chilies, and cumin, giving each crepe a bright, spiced flavor that's deeply satisfying without relying on any warm, earthy spice blends that can sometimes sneak into South Indian recipes. Scattered with fresh onion and cilantro before they hit the heat, the pesarattu cook up golden and crisp at the edges with a tender, slightly chewy center. The accompanying ginger chutney is the real showstopper — blended coconut, zingy lemon juice, and a quick tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chili make it punchy and aromatic in the best way. Because every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, there's no guesswork about what's in your food, which makes this a genuinely stress-free cook. It's a naturally plant-based dish that feels special enough for a weekend brunch but simple enough to pull off on a weeknight once you've done the soak. Serve them straight from the pan while they're still crackling — they don't wait well, and honestly, they won't need to.
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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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