Simple Moong Dal Pessaritu From Karnataka

Growing up in Mumbai, my only exposure to my roots was through the food that was cooked in our kitchen. Between both my grandmothers and mother, it was ensured that we got the full experience of various traditional, home-cooked items that were hard to find outside, otherwise. One such dish was the breakfast staple of pessaritu. Made with whole green moong dal soaked overnight, it is almost an instant-use batter once ground. Served with a green chilli or a spicy tamarind chutney, we preferred to go down the tomato chutney road, which was a universal favourite.

Variations like the upma pessaritu, more common in states like Andhra Pradesh, was supposedly a secret menu item in the canteen of the State Legislative Assembly and was fondly referred to as the MLA Pessaritu. It was basically a moong dal crepe topped with a dome of hot upma and folded over. Similar in appearance to the moong dal cheela, more popular up north, this flatbread is only slightly different and extremely simple to make at home. Find a recipe to make your own serving below:

Recipe:

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole moong beans, soaked overnight
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 2 green chillies
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• ½ cup chopped onions
• Oil for cooking

Method:

• Soak the moong beans for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight. Drain the water and wash them thoroughly and add them to a blender jar along with the ginger, green chillies and salt. Grind into a paste with two tablespoons of water. Be mindful of not watering down the batter as it tends to get thin if not kept a check on, from time to time.
• Pour the batter out into a bowl and add the rice flour and mix well to avoid any lumps. Heat a teaspoon or two of oil in a dosa pan and pour the batter and spread evenly. Top up with chopped onions and cook on one side for a couple of minutes before flipping it over and cooking it further for another minute or two. Fold it up and plate it to eat with any chutney of your choice.

Note: This is a great dish to pack for lunches as it keeps well and tastes good even at room temperature.