Vegetarian Vegan Pesarattu (Green Gram Dosa)
These crispy, lacy crepes are made entirely from whole green moong dal and a handful of pantry staples — no eggs, no dairy, no compromise on flavor. Soaking the dal overnight is the real secret, transforming humble green gram into a batter that spreads thin and cooks up with beautifully golden, crackling edges. Fresh ginger, green chilies, and cumin seeds are blended right into the batter, so every bite carries a warm, aromatic heat before you even get to the chutney. The scattered onion and cilantro on top add a little sweetness and brightness that make each fold feel like something you'd order at a South Indian breakfast spot. The ginger coconut chutney is worth making even if you had nothing to dip into it — blended smooth and finished with a quick mustard seed and curry leaf tempering, it's punchy, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. Since the entire dish is built on legumes, fresh aromatics, and coconut, there's nothing to swap or substitute — it's naturally plant-based from the ground up. Serve these straight off the griddle while the edges are still crisp, because they wait 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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