Pesarattu

[Suvir Saran]

Pesarattu is one of my favorite dosas from the South.

A friend makes these amazingly well. The home of this friend is a few blocks from my own. Makes for easy access to one of my favorite dishes.

Have never made this myself.

Recipe anyone? Tips???

PS: Prasad2 had mentioned this on another thread. Made me hungry for it... far away from NYC, I now am craving them.

[prasad2]

Pesarattu is one of my favorite dosas from the South.

A friend makes these amazingly well.  The home of this friend is a few blocks from my own.  Makes for easy access to one of my favorite dishes.

Have never made this myself.

Recipe anyone? Tips???

PS:  Prasad2 had mentioned this on another thread.  Made me hungry for it... far away from NYC, I now am craving them.

Suvir, You make me salvate. It's past mid-night and I see a thread on pesarattu. Guess what? after reading your post, I just soaked the Dal for Pesarattu for breakfast.

It's the simplest of all the Dosas and probably the best... All the secrets and tips of this recipe, will post in the morning, while I am grinding, making and eating,

Prasad

[Suvir Saran]

Pesarattu is one of my favorite dosas from the South.

A friend makes these amazingly well.  The home of this friend is a few blocks from my own.  Makes for easy access to one of my favorite dishes.

Have never made this myself.

Recipe anyone? Tips???

PS:  Prasad2 had mentioned this on another thread.  Made me hungry for it... far away from NYC, I now am craving them.

Suvir, You make me salvate. It's past mid-night and I see a thread on pesarattu. Guess what? after reading your post, I just soaked the Dal for Pesarattu for breakfast.

It's the simplest of all the Dosas and probably the best... All the secrets and tips of this recipe, will post in the morning, while I am grinding, making and eating,

Prasad

Thanks Prasad!

I shall await the recipe... My sister had once said she makes it with one of the green lentils... could that be true? Did I hear correctly? It sounded easy... but I have unfortunately forgotten what lentil it is.

I love the texture it has. Our friend that makes it is from Karnataka and he serves it with Coconut chutney and some gongura chutney. It is deelicious.

I shall envy you when I wake up in the morning.... lucky you!

[prasad2]

Pesarattu is one of my favorite dosas from the South.

Thanks Prasad!

I shall await the recipe... My sister had once said she makes it with one of the green lentils... could that be true? Did I hear correctly? It sounded easy... but I have unfortunately forgotten what lentil it is.

I love the texture it has. Our friend that makes it is from Karnataka and he serves it with Coconut chutney and some gongura chutney. It is deelicious.

I shall envy you when I wake up in the morning.... lucky you!

Good Morning Suvir

Guess what? Pesarattu / Pakodi is my breakfast for today.

Please do not envy, as a saying when some one else envys while you are eating and you do not share, you are bound to get stomach ache. As much as I love food, I love to share it as well. Unfortunately you are far to reach.

Just couple of things you need before you start.

1) Wet Blender (Sumeet or National or traditional stone grinder).

2) Heavy Bottom cast iron skillet or non-stick teflon pan and or a wok.

You can make couple of things with these lentils. a) Pesarattu, b)M.L.A Pesarattu c) Pakodi

Your sister is absolutely right.

Soak over night green lentils (Moong dal) with skin on.

In the morning, blend it in a wet grinder with a piece of ginger, cumin seeds and few green chilies. Blend it coarsely if you are making pakodi / pakoda with no water added at all.

To this mixture add very little salt and finely chopped spanish onion and mix very well, using your hand as a whisk. No Bi-carb is neccessary. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry by pouring into very small balls / fritters with a tea spoon. Once they turn to crispy golden brown fritters remove from oil and serve.

For pesarattu blend these soaked lentils with ginger, pinch of salt and green chilies to a smoother batter by adding a little bit of water to form a pouring consistancy of Dosa.

Chop some onions and mix with cumin seeds and set aside.

Heat the non-stick pan and place a cup of batter in the center of the pan. Slowly start at the center spreading like a pancake . Spread in some chopped onion and cumin, sprinkle a Tea spoon of oil. Once the edges start getting crisp fold in half, remove and serve at once.

Tips: Batter has to be no more than an hour old or two at most. Leave the batter a little coarse. Never turn the pesarattu on the otherside. Cannot be served warm or cold. No fermentation is required. Blender to pan to plate.

M.L.A Pesarattu (Member of Legislative assembly) (the rich)

This pesarattu is made with ghee and served with upma in the center and a little larger in size.

The right chutney pesarattu is allam pachadi (Ginger chutney )

[Suvir Saran]

Many , many thanks Prasad.

How were they? What did you make? Pakodi or dosa?

Tell me, no rice, eh? Cool! And as you say no fermentation either. No wonder my friend makes them so very easily. It is Sunday brunch in their home for guests like me that come in without prior notice.

So you sprinkle the onions and cumin seeds as the dosa cooks? Do they cook somewhat? Do you need to flip them at all? I nver do that with regular dosas. And you do not mention it. Can you confirm please.

And finally, can we get a recipe for the ginger chutney. Please.

[prasad2]

Many , many thanks Prasad.

How were they? What did you make? Pakodi or dosa?

Tell me, no rice, eh?  Cool!  And as you say no fermentation either.  No wonder my friend makes them so very easily.  It is Sunday brunch in their home for guests like me that come in without prior notice.

So you sprinkle the onions and cumin seeds as the dosa cooks?  Do they cook somewhat?  Do you need to flip them at all? I nver do that with regular dosas.  And you do not mention it.  Can you confirm please.

And finally, can we get a recipe for the ginger chutney. Please.

Suvir:

Mmmm, they were great. You know mom as chef at home, I get spoiled, I helped her blend and she ended up with both pakodi and Pesarattu.

Pakodas were later packed in a zip log for the car ride.

You are right no rice, no fermentation either. Never, ever turn the dosa (any dosa other than uthappam), it looses its crispiness (I had mentioned in the tips). Onions and cumin get some what cooked when you sprinkle oil or ghee.

Allam Patchadi (Ginger Chutney)

Oil----------------------------------3 Table Sp

Dry Red Chilies------------------ 8 to 10 or to taste

Sliced Ginger -------------------- 1 Lb

Seedless Thailand Tamarind-- 1/2 Lb

Zaggery -------------------------- 1/2 Lb (Or as per taste)

Cumin Seeds -------------------- 1 T Sp

Salt -------------------------------- A pinch or to taste

Tempering:

Oil ----------------- 1 Tb Sp

Urad Dal --------- 1/2 T sp

Mustard Seeds --1/2 T Sp

Cumin Seeds ---- 1/2 T Sp

Chopped garlic -- 3 Cloves

Curry Leaves --- 5 or 6 (Optional)

Grate zaggery and mix well with tamarind by adding 1/2 a cup of water.

Heat Oil, saute red chilies and cumin, then add ginger and tamarind mix and cook for ten to 15 minutes stirring and scraping.

Then blend to a fine paste.

Tempering: Heat a table spoon of oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, chopped garlic. Once these start crackling add curry leaves, remove from fire and top of the chutney before you serve.

If you Refrigerate in air tight jars it should stay for a longer period of time. Just remember to temper before you serve.

Best Served with: Any dosa, Idli, definetely with pesarattu.

How about this: Mix this chutney well with steamed rice and ghee. Every bite you eat, bite a slice of red onion, a little chutney goes a long long way.................

Prasad

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks Prasad! You are very generous. Please thank your mother as well.

[prasad2]

Thanks Prasad!  You are very generous.  Please thank your mother as well.

You are very well welcome.

Let me know how it turns out.

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks Prasad!  You are very generous.  Please thank your mother as well.

You are very well welcome.

Let me know how it turns out.

I shall Prasad!

And really, thanks for finding time to post on eGullet even as you run a busy and successful restaurant.

You are very generous.

Thanks!

[prasad2]

One more TIP as a precaution:

To keep this chutney longer in your refrigerator, please top off with some oil. Longer life.

[Suvir Saran]

One more TIP as a precaution:

To keep this chutney longer in your refrigerator, please top off with some oil. Longer life.

Just like one would keep Pesto.

[prasad2]

How does this sound?

Piping hot steamed Idlis (steamed rice & lentil cakes), topped with meting ghee (Clarified butter) with karropodi (Seasoned chily powder) and Allam patchadi (ginger chutney ), this is what one should have for breakfast.

P2

Edited May 15, 2003 by prasad2 (log)

[Schielke]

I am stitting here hungry for breakfast and these sound so very good. I will be making them soon! Thank you so much!

Ben

[Suvir Saran]

How does this sound?

Piping hot steamed Idlis (steamed rice & lentil cakes), topped with meting ghee (Clarified butter)  with karropodi (Seasoned chily powder) and Allam patchadi (ginger chutney ), this is what one should have for breakfast.

P2

TEASE!

[prasad2]

I am stitting here hungry for breakfast and these sound so very good.  I will be making them soon!  Thank you so much!

Ben

Ben

You are welcome. I was too embaressed (Spell?) to say,but that's what I had this morning for breakfast. Please let me know how yours turned out.

P2

[prasad2]

TEASE!

Suvir, I did not mean to! That's what ( 6 Idlis ) I ended up having for breakfast and they were mmmmm good....

Edited May 15, 2003 by prasad2 (log)

[prasad2]

Has any one tried making Pesarattu yet!

They are simple to make and delicious to eat.

P2

[Suvir Saran]

Has any one tried making Pesarattu yet!

They are simple to make and delicious to eat.

P2

You are a very kind man. Thanks for the recipe.

I prepared the Pesarattu for breakfast today. No ginger chutney (did not have enough ) but enjoyed them with Tomato Chutney and I also made Coconut Chutney. Since I have no idea how these taste with the Ginger Chutney, we were sated and duly impressed.

I feel I will leave the batter a little coarser next time. I had blended it not too coarse, but I remember our friend in NYC making his with perhaps even a coarser consistency. I have really never seen his batter, but the finished dosas had more skin. The other thing that could have been an issue was the fact that I used split mung beans. Whilst the skin was there, and I saved all that I had in my soaking beans, I am sure lots of the skin is lost in the packaging of the beans. If I had whole mung beans, I am sure the texture would have changed a little. That little would be th difference I feel I need to account for.

I love the texture of the Dosas. They are really very tasty. Maybe I will make some Pakodas tomorrow as well. Will let you know.

I am thinking I shall make the next batch with some curry leaves added into the beans. I think they would make the Dosas even tastier. What do you think? Will let you know what I think of the difference. I wish I had some Gongura Chutney, I have a feeling these Dosas would taste amazing with it. Have you tried it ever?

Again, thanks for the recipe. Thanks to your mother as well.

[prasad2]

Tomato chutney sounds very good with Pesarattu. I am very tempted to try with pesarattu and also the pakodis. I am not too sure about coconut chutney.

The batter doesn't have to be that coarse as long as the batter is thick with not much water. you loose that crispiness and coarseness if the batter is runny.

Curry leaves sounds very good and let me know how that tastes. I have seen in the past curry leaf powder (seasoned and tempered) with ghee is used instead of ginger chutney.

Bottled Gongura goes very well too. I particularly like the priya brand.

BTW mom says computer cook should not work that hard making pesarattu and chutney and instead invite him over for breakfast.

Most of the time she under estmates my cooking too... you know how I feel......