Pesarattu Upma
(Whole Green Mung Bean Dosa with Cream of Rice)
The Pesarattu/Moong Dal Dosa here, based on the recent recipe on YouTube by Easy Cooking with Ekta, is a South Indian "crepe" made of soaked and ground-up whole green mung beans. It is very hearty, and so, it could be good for someone who likes meat, but has to cut back. Here, it is filled with Upma, made from Cream of Rice (but usually made with sooji/rava/like Cream of Wheat), as well as tomatoes, yogurt, and spices. I understand, from what I've seen online recently, that this combination of Pesarattu and Upma is traditional. I think the two together, provide a successful balance, and am glad I tried the combination!
- The Upma recipe is from Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.
Zucchini & Whole Green Moong Dal Fritters/Vadas
These fritters/vadas were made from leftover batter of Zucchini & Whole Green Moong Dal Cheela/Pesarattu (Indian savory griddlecakes made from soaked & ground legumes). (You can see my photo of cheelas from Dec. 11, if you like.) My friend's mom would deep-fry leftover batter, by spoonfuls, of adai (similar kind of griddlecake). This memory inspired me, although I can't eat deep-fried foods. However, I did my best to make non-deep-fried vadas, and liked the results, with rice.
If you have too many vadas to eat all at once, you can freeze them for later. You could also add them to dishes requiring koftas. Like the cheelas made from this batter, the vadas also taste meat-like. Perhaps they could be useful for people who enjoy meat but who must cut back due to health reasons?
Pesarattu (South Indian Savory Griddlecakes)
I soaked whole green mung beans (sabut moong) for several hours, then put them through a Cuisinart with a little mashed rice and some seasonings (no vegetables this time). I fried them, a couple tablespoons at a time, with a little oil, like a dosa.
Very hearty and energy-giving.
