A simple recipe for moong dal chilla, made with 8 basic ingredients. A really speedy, healthy, protein-packed and delicious Indian vegetarian breakfast that gets prepared in just 20 minutes (if you have soaked the dal night before).
About This Moong Dal Chilla Recipe:
Different regions have diverse names: In North India, these are called chilla or cheela while in Gujarat, these are called mag ni dal na puda or pudla.
Taste & Surface: If made the way, it appeared in step-by-step photographs. These savory, gently spiced chilla have crisp edges with a soft textured center.
Ingredient Notes:
Chilka moong dal: Here I have used moong dal with skin. These chillas can be made with yellow moong dal, or entire green moong beans or sprouted moong.
Green chili: Adjust or skip the amount if making for little children or kids. My kids are okay with one green chili, so I added it.
How To Make Moong Dal Chilla?
Making Batter:
1) Take chilka moong dal in a colander and wash under running cold water until the water runs clear. On the other hand, you can wash the lentils in a bowl by changing the water 2-3 times or until the water is not cloudy anymore.
2) Soak in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Lentils will get more than twofold in size. Discard the soaking water.
3) Take soaked moong dal in a blender and include the remaining ingredients (ginger, garlic, green chili, salt, hing, turmeric, cumin seeds, and cilantro).
4) Include water.
5) Crush into a smooth batter.
6) Batter consistency: It should not be too thick or too thin. The batter has to be medium thick and runny consistency just like dosa batter.
Making Chilla:
1) Warm the cast iron tawa/skillet on medium warm. If your tawa is prepared well at that point no require to use any oil to start with. Take a ladleful of batter (around ¼ cup).
2) Pour in the center of the pan.
3) Spread the batter using the back of the scoop in a circular movement (just like dosa). Keep the chilla of medium thickness.
4) Sprinkle a little oil around the edges and moreover on the chilla. Let it cook.
5) Once it is cooked from the bottom, the edges start to loosen from the tawa so you can effectively flip it. So flip and cook another side for a few seconds. Serve chilla hot/warm.
6) To fold into a triangle, flip the chilla once more, and fold it into half using a spatula.
7) At that point once morefold into half and utilize your finger to help it make another fold easily.
8) Remove it from the pan and rehash the same for the rest of the chilla. Do oil the pansome time recently making another one.
Expert Tips:
The batter consistency has to be right (medium thick and runny consistency).
If the batter is too thick at that point it gives a hard time spreading the chilla and takes longer to cook.
If the batter is too thin at that point it moreover takes longer to cook. Additionally, it comes dry, chewy, and crisp.
If you’re in a rush at that point you can splash the lentils for 3-4 hours as it were. It should be perfectly fine.
Add some finely chopped or ground veggies like onion, tomato, bell pepper, carrot, beet, etc into the batter. If so the chilla will come out slightly on the thicker side like this oats chilla.
You can add green veggies like spinach or boiled green peas while crushing the batter to make it greener.
Make-ahead: You can make the batter in advance and keep it in the fridge. Most of the time I make the batter the night sometime recently so I just have to make the chilla in the morning.
Serving Ideas For Moong Dal Chilla:
With a side of chutney: This tastes super good with a side of cilantro chutney and tamarind date chutney. In any case, you can have your choice of any chutney.
With paneer filling: To make paneer filling, blend ground paneer, chopped onion, green chili, cilantro and a few spices in a bowl. Utilize this to stuff the cheela and fold just like masala dosa.