Moong dal Chilla, a beloved Indian breakfast dish, is a savory pancake made from yellow moong dal and Indian spices. Bursting with spicy flavor, it's a perfect recipe for busy people!
Moong Dal Chilla or Cheela is a basic recipe hailing from North India that needs simple ingredients and easy steps for a quick breakfast. For busy weekdays, I always look forward to making these lentil pancakes for my daughter's lunch box. Since I don't eat eggs, this is my version of an omelet.
Made using an iron Tawa, this recipe of moong cheela helps you cook savory pancakes that are crispy when cooked slowly in ghee. Stuff it with vegetables or paneer filling or add vegetables to the moong dal batter- this recipe is very customizable. Team this delicious breakfast with green chutney, saunth or any favorite dip of your choice.
Another favorite breakfast of mine is bread besan chilla, south indian upma, Moong dal Kachori, whole wheat savory crepes, and Instant Green Moong Dal Uttapam.
Ingredients
- Yellow Moong Lentil- The star ingredient for this recipe is Yellow Moong Lentil or Dal. The raw lentils need to be washed many times and then soaked for 30 min-1 hour. The same recipe can be used to make whole green moong or green mung beans. They might need more soaking time, though.
- Ghee- I love Chilla made in ghee. It helps me create a crisp chilla. If you are vegan or don't want to use ghee, use any cooking vegetable oil that works for you.
- Spices- I have used turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and amchur powder(mango powder). Feel free to add cumin seeds or cumin powder.
- Green Chilies- I have used 4 green chilies and this can be very spicy for many of you. Make sure to adjust the heat as per your taste.
- Ginger root
- Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
How To Make Moong Dal Chilla Recipe
Step 1. Prepping Moong Dal
Rinse yellow lentils several times till the water looks clean. Soak it for about 30 minutes - 1hr. You will observe that lentils have swollen and that's an indication that they are ready to be blended.
Step 2 Make Moong Dal Batter
In a large blender, add soaked dal, green chillies, and ginger root and blend for a minute or so till you get a smooth batter. You may add a little water in between the pulses.
Transfer the contents of the blender to a large bowl. Add salt and spices and mix well. The batter would be thick and to make a thin chilla, you must add water little by little.
Step 3. Make Mung Dal Cheela
On a hot Iron tawa (or non-stick pan), spread a little and wipe with a raw onion (you may use a kitchen cloth too). Spread a ladle full of moong dal batter, place it in the center, and spread it in a circular motion.
Let it cook on slow to medium flame. You will observe the bubbles. Add drops of oil or ghee over the edges. Now, edges would come off from the tawa. You may use a knife to do that (Check Video) and then use a spatula to flip the cheela and cook it from the other side.
Add more ghee to make a crispy cheela.
For the next chilla, make sure to clean the tawa with onion and then start making it.
Step 4. Serve It.
Serve the hot and crispy Moong dal cheela with the green chutney of your choice. Feel free to stuff the cheela with paneer or cottage cheese and enjoy this protein packed breakfast!
Expert Tips
- Overnight soaking of lentils should be avoided especially in the summer. I have been making moong dal cheela for a long time and I always soak them in the morning at around 6 am and I make cheelas around 7:30 am. The lentils should ideally have absorbed the water and swollen up. We don't need fermentation for this recipe.
- The Iron Tawa is sticky IS A MYTH. In India, we use only Iron TAWAs and you just need to season it properly. Make sure to use clean Tawa and wipe it with a little oil and it should be hot. If it's not hot, the batter will stick. To check if it's hot, place your hand in the air the tawa and you should feel enough warmth to remove your hand. Use a raw onion to clean it every time you make the next chilla.
Storage Suggestions
The leftover batter can be stored in an airtight container with a lid in the refrigerator for about 2 days. The leftover Cheelas can be stored at room temperature to be consumed the same day. I don't recommend storing the cheela in refrigerator or freezer for longer usage as their texture would be affected.
Yes, moong dal chilla does contain carbohydrates, primarily from the moong dal itself. However, compared to wheat flour-based chillas, moong dal chilla typically has a lower carbohydrate content
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Moong Dal Chilla (Savory Lentil Pancakes)
Equipment
- 1 Iron Tawa can use non-stick pan
- 1 Large Bowl mixing batter
- 1 Blender making moong dal batter
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw moong yellow dal soak for 30 min -1 hr
- 4 medium Green Chiilies it's very hot. adjust the heat
- 2 pinch Heeng (Asafoetida)
- ½ inch ginger root
- 10 tablespoon Desi Ghee
- 1 cup fresh water
- salt as per taste
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Rinse yellow lentils several times till the water looks clean. Soak it for about 30 minutes - 1hr. You will observe that lentils have swollen and that's an indication that they are ready to be blended.
- In a large blender, add soaked dal, green chillies, and ginger root and blend for a minute or so till you get a smooth batter. You may add a little water in between the pulses. Transfer the contents of the blender to a large bowl. Add salt and spices and mix well. The batter would be thick and to make a thin chilla, you must add water little by little.
- On a hot Iron tawa (or non-stick pan), spread a little and wipe with a raw onion (you may use a kitchen cloth too). Spread a ladle full of moong dal batter, place it in the center, and spread it in a circular motion.Let it cook on slow to medium flame. You will observe the bubbles. Add drops of oil or ghee over the edges. Now, edges would come off from the tawa. You may use a knife to do that (Check Video) and then use a spatula to flip the cheela and cook it from the other side. Add more ghee to make a crispy cheela.For the next chilla, make sure to clean the tawa with onion and then start making it.
- Serve the hot and crispy Moong dal cheela with the green chutney of your choice. Feel free to stuff the cheela with paneer or cottage cheese and enjoy this protein packeed breakfast!
Notes
- Overnight soaking of lentils should be avoided especially in the summer. I have been making moong dal cheela for a long time and I always soak them in the morning at around 6 am and I make cheelas around 7:30 am. The lentils should ideally have absorbed the water and swollen up. We don't need fermentation for this recipe.
- The Iron Tawa is sticky IS A MYTH. In India, we use only Iron TAWAs and you just need to season it properly. Make sure to use clean Tawa and wipe it with a little oil and it should be hot. If it's not hot, the batter will stick. To check if it's hot, place your hand in the air the tawa and you should feel enough warmth to remove your hand. Use a raw onion to clean it every time you make the next chilla.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cheela | |
| Servings: 8-10 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 96 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 3.3g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat 1.9g | 9% |
| Cholesterol 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium 6mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 11.6g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.9g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 0.4g | |
| Protein 4.9g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 8mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 0mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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