Among the most beloved dishes in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is the pesarattu, a savory pancake made with a batter of whole mung beans. The beans are soaked, blended, and spread thinly on a griddle. According to cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey, the big, crisp, nutritious pancakes are best enjoyed with a creamy coconut chutney and some sweet, milky coffee on the side. This recipe first appeared as part of the digital edition of our August/September 2014 special India issue.
Ingredients
- 1 cup moong dal (split mung beans), rinsed
- 15 fenugreek seeds
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp. rice flour
- 1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1⁄4 tsp. asafoetida
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground turmeric
- 2 small green Thai chiles or 1 serrano, stemmed
- 1 (1") piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Cilantro-yogurt chutney, for serving (optional)
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Instructions
Step 1
Combine mung beans, fenugreek seeds, and 3 cups water in a bowl; let sit 5 hours, then drain and transfer to a food processor. Add cilantro, rice flour, cumin, asafoetida, turmeric, chiles, ginger, salt, and 1 cup water; purée into a smooth batter.
Step 2
Heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high. Brush skillet lightly with oil. Using a ladle, pour ⅓ cup batter into center of pan. Immediately and in a circular motion, spread batter from center toward edge of pan, creating a thin, 7" pancake. Drizzle 1–2 tbsp. oil around edges and on surface of pancake. Cook, covered, until golden, 1–2 minutes. Flip pancake and cook, uncovered, until golden, about 1 minute more; slide onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with oil between pancakes. Serve with cilantro-yogurt chutney, if you like.
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