Oats Pesarattu
- 10 min prep
- 275 min
- Pan-fry
- Serves 3
- 405 kcal
- 19 g protein
Andhra's green moong dosa with oats ground into the batter. Bright green, gingery and crisp, with a scatter of onion on top. Soak in the morning, eat by breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) whole green moong
- ½ cup (45 g) rolled oats
- 2 tbsp (20 g) rice flour
- 1 inch (8 g) ginger, chopped
- 2 green chillies (8 g)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt, to taste (about ¾ tsp)
- About ¾ cup (180 ml) water, for grinding
- 1 medium onion (80 g), finely chopped, for topping
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- About 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil, for cooking
Method
- 1Rinse the green moong well and soak in plenty of water for 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Add the oats to the soaking bowl for the last 15 minutes.
- 2Drain the moong and oats. Grind with the ginger, green chillies, half the cumin and the salt, adding water a little at a time, to a smooth batter that pours slowly, just thicker than dosa batter. Stir in the rice flour.
- 3Mix the onion, coriander and remaining cumin in a small bowl for the topping.
- 4Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium-high. Sprinkle water; when it sizzles off, wipe the tawa with an oiled cloth and lower the heat to medium.
- 5Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it outward in quick circles into a thin round. Scatter a spoon of the onion topping over and press it in gently.
- 6Drizzle ½–1 tsp oil around the edge. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the underside is golden and the edges lift.
- 7Flip and cook the onion side for about a minute until lightly browned, then flip back, fold and serve. Wipe the tawa and repeat.
Notes from the Department
- Whole green moong with skins gives the classic colour and flavour. Split yellow moong works but tastes milder and paler.
- If the dosa tears while spreading, the batter is too thin or the tawa too hot. Add a spoon of rice flour or cool the tawa with a sprinkle of water.
- Grind the batter just before cooking. It does not need to ferment, and it tastes fresher on the day.
- Leftover batter keeps for a day in the fridge; it may darken slightly on top, which is harmless.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 405 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrate
- 58 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
- Sugars
- 5.9 g
Why this works
Pesarattu is Andhra Pradesh's green moong dosa, made from soaked whole moong ground with ginger and chilli. Traditionally a spoon of rice goes in for crispness. Here oats join the moong in the grinder, which gives the batter more body and a mellow, nutty flavour without changing its character. A couple of spoons of rice flour stirred in at the end keeps the edges crisp.
Because the batter is not fermented, it holds the bright, fresh taste of the moong and ginger. The raw onion topping softens and sweetens on the hot side of the dosa without fully cooking, which is exactly the contrast you want.
Swaps
Quick oats can replace rolled; skip their soak and grind them straight in. For a no-onion version, top with grated carrot and cumin instead. Leave out the rice flour if you prefer a softer pesarattu. To keep it gluten-free, use oats labelled certified gluten-free, as regular oats are often processed alongside wheat.
Serving and storage
The Andhra way is with allam pachadi, a sweet-sour ginger chutney, or with upma folded inside for the famous MLA pesarattu, a name the Department of Breakfast considers well earned. Coconut chutney and tomato chutney work too.
Cook to order; pesarattu softens as it sits. Cooked ones keep for a day in the fridge and reheat best on a hot tawa for a minute each side.
Questions people ask
- Can I make oats pesarattu without soaking?
- Not with whole moong. It needs at least 4 hours to grind smoothly. For a no-soak version, use split moong soaked for 1 hour in hot water, though the colour and flavour change.
- Is pesarattu the same as moong dal chilla?
- They are close relatives. Pesarattu is from Andhra, made with whole green moong, ginger and chilli and served with ginger chutney. Chilla is the North Indian take, usually with split moong and different seasoning.
- Why is my pesarattu sticking to the tawa?
- The pan is either not hot enough or not seasoned. Heat it well, wipe with oil, and lower to medium just before pouring the batter.
Inspired by Archana's Kitchen. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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