Moong Dal Chilla

The Method for Moong Dal Chilla

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1. Rinse the dal and soak it in plenty of cold water for 4 hours, then drain well.

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2. Blend the drained dal with the chilli, ginger, cumin, turmeric, salt and 120 ml of water until completely smooth. The batter should pour like thin crepe batter; add a tablespoon of water at a time if it is too thick.

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3. Stir in the onion and cilantro.

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4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and brush with a little oil. Pour in a ladleful of batter and spread it thin with the back of the ladle. Cook for 2 minutes, until the underside is golden, then flip and cook for 1 minute more. Repeat with the remaining batter to make eight chillas.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

Keep an Eye on These

1. Wipe the pan with an oiled paper towel between chillas so that the batter spreads evenly.
2. If the batter tears when you spread it, the pan is too hot; lower the heat for a minute.
3. Make the batter up to the end of step 2 and refrigerate it for a day if you want a fast breakfast.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

To Go With It

Plain yogurt · Mint or coriander chutney · Sliced tomato and cucumber

Leftovers

Chillas keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry pan for 1 minute on each side.

Questions People Ask

Moong Dal Chilla Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.