Pesarattu / Mung Bean Dosa - Healthy Breakfast Recipe

Pesarattu a crepe-like flat bread is a popular breakfast recipe from Andhra Pradesh. Basically it is a dosa made from the batter of green gram ( mung beans) . A gluten free and vegan snack which is not only healthy and nutritious but also very easy to prepare and does not require any fermentation . 

 Pesarattu is a thin crisp protein rich dosa and can be made using whole green gram (Mung beans) or split green  gram. The recipe calls for soaking the mung beans in water for 4-6 hours after which the beans are ground with ginger , green chilies, cumin and coriander to get the batter. I also add curry leaves and flax seeds while grinding the batter many a times. A little rice flour is added to the batter to make the pesarattu crisp. I have added rice while soaking the beans itself. Onions can also be added while making the batter or topped on the pesarattu as variation. Though it is a breakfast recipe , pesarattu can also be served as an after school snacks or as a light weekend evening meal.

  

I was first introduced to this dish 9 years back when i was staying in Hyderabad. My dear neighbour and friend Shubhashani used to make this humble dish almost on all alternate days and i was lucky to get a ready made batter as my share. I have learnt this dish from her along with many other Andhra delicacies. Since then Pesarattu is one among my weekly breakfast menus. She used to serve pesarattu with Upma and ginger or Tamarind Chutney. I have served it with peanut dip , the way my family loves it.

Preparation Time : 6 hours

Cooking time : 3-5 minutes per dosa

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup mung beans 
• 2 table spoon rice
• 1/2 inch ginger piece
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• a small bunch of fresh coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil for drizzling over the pesarattu

Method:

1. Take 1 cup mung beans in a bowl along with 2 tablespoon rice and rinse it well. Soak it in 2 cups of water for 5 to 6 hours.

  2. The beans become double their size after soaking. Drain and transfer the beans and rice to a grinder jar along with ginger , coriander leaves , green chilies and cumin seeds. Grind the mixture to a batter using little water.

  3. Add salt and pulse again. Check for dosa like consistency of the batter ( though the batter will not be as smooth as regular urad dal dosa) and add required water and pulse the batter.

  4. The batter for pesarattu is ready as it does not require any fermentation.

  5. Grease a heated skillet with little oil and transfer a ladle full of batter at the center of the skillet. Lower the flame and spread the batter from center towards the edge using the back of the same ladle in circular movement.

  6. Drizzle little oil on the sides of the pesarattu and allow it to cook on medium flame until crisp . Flip it and cook from the other side as well.

  7. Repeat the same process for rest of the batter. 

  8. Serve the pesarattu hot with chutney of your choice and enjoy a delicious and nutritious breakfast with your loved ones !

 Notes:

• Pesarattu can be made using whole mung beans or with split green gram.
• Rice flour can be added to the batter made from mung beans , if rice is not soaked along with the beans.
• Onion , curry leaves can also be added to the mung beans while grinding as a variation. Finely chopped onions can also be topped while making the pesarattu.

For more similar recipes, do check my posts on

• Adai Dosa
• Rava Upma
• Instant Suji Utappam
• Medu Vada
• Sweet Corn Utappam
• Vegetable Kuzhi Paniyaram