Moong Dal Oats Chilla
- 10 min prep
- 150 min
- Pan-fry
- Serves 2
- 370 kcal
- 16 g protein
Soaked yellow moong and rolled oats ground together into a smooth batter, loaded with carrot and cabbage, and cooked thin on a hot tawa. Sturdy, savoury, and quick once soaked.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) split yellow moong dal
- ½ cup (45 g) rolled oats
- 1 inch (8 g) ginger, chopped
- 1 green chilli (4 g)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- About ½ cup (120 ml) water, for grinding
- ½ cup (50 g) carrot, grated
- ½ cup (35 g) cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 small onion (50 g), finely chopped
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- Salt, to taste (about ½ tsp)
- 4 tsp (20 ml) oil, for cooking
Method
- 1Rinse the moong dal until the water runs clear, then soak it in plenty of water for 2 hours.
- 2Drain the dal and put it in a mixer jar with the oats, ginger, green chilli and cumin. Grind with water added a few spoons at a time into a smooth, thick batter that still pours.
- 3Scrape the batter into a bowl. Stir in the turmeric, salt, carrot, cabbage, onion and coriander. Leave for 5 minutes; if the oats thicken it too much, loosen with a spoon or two of water.
- 4Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron tawa on medium and grease it lightly.
- 5Pour a ladle of batter in the middle and spread it gently outward into a round about 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) wide. Drizzle ½ tsp oil around the edges.
- 6Cook for 2–3 minutes until the underside is golden and the top no longer looks wet. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden spots appear. Repeat with the rest.
Notes from the Department
- Overnight soaking in the fridge works and saves a morning step. Drain well before grinding.
- Grind the dal smooth. Grainy batter makes a chilla that cracks when flipped.
- Squeeze excess moisture out of the grated carrot and cabbage so the batter stays thick.
- Leftover batter keeps in the fridge for a day. Stir in fresh onion just before cooking.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrate
- 52 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugars
- 6.5 g
Why this works
Moong dal chilla is already a reliable North Indian breakfast: soaked split moong ground with ginger and chilli and cooked like a pancake. Oats ground into the same batter make it softer and more filling, and bind it so it holds together on the tawa. Yellow moong dal is quick to soak, mild in flavour and cooks fast, which is why it pairs so naturally with oats.
The vegetables are generous on purpose. Carrot and cabbage add sweetness and a little crunch, and they stretch a half cup of dal into enough chillas for two. Grinding the oats along with the dal rather than adding them dry gives a smoother batter that spreads easily. The Department of Batter Consistency asks only that you stir before every ladle.
Swaps
Whole green moong works for a pesarattu-style chilla; soak it for 4 hours instead. Quick oats can replace rolled. Swap the vegetables for spinach, methi leaves, grated beetroot or capsicum. For a no-onion version, leave it out and add a little extra ginger. The recipe uses no wheat or hing, so it is gluten-free if you buy oats labelled certified gluten-free.
Serving and storage
Serve hot with green chutney, tomato chutney or a bowl of plain curd if you are not keeping it vegan. A chilla wrapped around crumbled paneer or tofu with chopped onion makes a good packed lunch.
Cooked chillas keep for a day in the fridge between sheets of baking paper. Warm them on a dry tawa for 30 seconds a side.
Questions people ask
- Can I make moong dal oats chilla without soaking?
- The dal needs soaking to grind smoothly. If short of time, soak it in hot water for 45 minutes to 1 hour; the texture is slightly grainier but works.
- Should I use yellow or green moong dal?
- Split yellow moong dal soaks fastest and gives a soft, mild chilla. Whole green moong gives a deeper flavour and colour but needs about 4 hours of soaking.
- Why does my chilla break when flipping?
- The batter may be too thin, or the first side was flipped too early. Thicken the batter slightly and wait until the edges lift and the top looks dry.
Inspired by Diet Dekho. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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