Pesarattu (Lentils dosa) with Tomato Onion Chutney

This dish brings back nostalgic memories of breakfast in Hyderabad when we used to visit our grandparents for summer vacation. It is a very filling and popular traditional Andhra dish.

I make it with a slightly different twist to the traditional recipe. I mix various dals (lentils) to pack a punch of protein and put a mix of brown and wild rice (1:1 ratio) to make it healthier and diabetes friendly.

Ingredients for Pesarattu Dosa:
Yellow Moong dal - 1 cup, Green Moong Dal - 1/4 cup, Chana dal - 1/4 th cup, Urad dal - 1/4 cup, Brown rice - 1/2 cup, Wild rice - 1/2 cup, Ginger - 1/2 tsp, Garlic - 5-6 pcs, Curry leaves - 8-10, Green chillies - 2-3 (depending on your taste), cilantro - 3-4 tbsp, cumin - 1 tsp, salt to taste, oil for making the pesarattu dosa. Onions - chopped, green chillies - chopped, cilantro chopped - for garnish.

Procedure to make Pesarattu dosa:
Soak all the lentils and rice (preferably overnight, or at least fpt 6 hrs), Finely grind the mixture along with the other ingredients like ginger, garlic, green chillies, cilantro, cumin and salt in a mixer. There is no need to ferment this mixture unlike traditional dosa. Heat a pan, add few drops of oil, put a big ladle of batter and spread it evenly. Cover and cook for 2 mins till it is brownish on the bottom, add a layer of onions and some chopped green chillies (optional) on top, flip and cook for a minute. Pesarattu is ready for stuffing (see stuffing recipe below).

Upma stuffing for Pesarattu dosa:

Ingredients for Upma: 
1 cup rava (preferably fine semolina, sooji, cream of wheat), Water -  2 cups, Urad dal - 1 tsp, Chana Dal - 1 tsp, Tempering - 1tsp spoon mustard seeds, Asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, green chillies (as per desired spice level), ginger - grated 1/2 tsp,  5-6 curry leaves, oil - 3 tsp. I do not add onions to the upma I use for stuffing. I like to keep it simple.

Procedure for making Upma stuffing:
Dry roast the upma rava for 5-6 minutes till light brown and keep it aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Now add asofoetida, urad dal, chana dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for 1/2 minute and add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Then  add the upma rava slowly and stir continuously to avoid lumps.Cover and cook for 3-4 mins. It should be nice and soft Cook for 2-3 additional minutes and set aside. Use this to stuff the above pesarattu dosa.

Serve with Tomato Onion Chutney.

Tomato Onion Chutney:

Ingredients for Chutney:
Onion - 1 chopped, Tomato - 2 medium chopped, Urad dal - 1 tbsp, Chana Dal - 1 tbsp, Cilantro - 3-4 tbsp, Green chillies - 3-4, Ginger - 1 tsp, Garlic - 4-5 pods, Dry shredded coconut - 2 tsp (optional), oil - 2 tsp, salt to taste. Tempering - 1 tsp spoon mustard seeds, Asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp, red ciilli powder - 1/2 tsp,  5-6 curry leaves, oil - 2 tsp.

Procedure for Chutney:
Dry roast urad dal, chana dal and shredded coconut (each separately) till light browna and put aside. Put 2 tsp oil in a pan and roast onions till brown. Add ginger, garlic, cilantro, green chillies and saute for 3-4 mins, then add tomatoes and saute for 5-6 mins till everything is cooked. Add the previously roasted dals and coconut. Cool and grind in a mixer. Add the tempering (For tempering: Heat the pan and add oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Now add asofoetida, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and curry leaves.) Mix and serve with Pesarattu.

Here is another version without Upma filling........... we ate this with coconut/peanut chutney.

Enjoy this protein packed delicacy for breakfast, lunch or dinner :), Till my next post, take care everyone!