Pesarattu Upma is an easy, protein packed South Indian style breakfast that is made with mung beans. It is filling, nutritious and absolutely delicious.
This is a quintessential breakfast dish from Andhra Pradesh (now the states of Andhra & Telangana). Pesarattu upma invokes many fond memories and is one of my all time favorites.
In Telugu, pesara means moong dal and attu means dosa (aka savory crepes). So, these are Andhra style moong dal dosa or cheelas that are made with an unfermented batter.
They are perfect to make for breakfast or lunch because they are:
- protein packed
- flavor packed
- quick to make and need no fermenting
- absolutely delicious
My MIL makes boat load of these for breakfast to feed the entire family. You lose count once you start eating these piping hot – pure bliss. They are very filling, so you can forget about lunch and laze around until dinner.
Traditionally pesarattu is served with upma – that’s ‘the’ Andhra special combo. If you are pressed for time, you can just make dosa and serve it with a chutney. That is completely acceptable.
Ingredients
The main ingredient to make pesarattu is moong dal (mung beans). You can use them either as whole, split with skin or split without skin forms
My uses whole moong but I prefer to use split with skin variety because they don’t need to be soaked for too long.
Recipe also needs rice to make them slightly crispy. I use sona masoori rice but any medium or long grain rice would work.
Ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds add a nice spicy kick to these dosa.
Main ingredient to make upma is sooji. I use fine sooji but you can use coarse variety as well.
As far as the add-ins go for upma, you can keep it simple with no veggies or add as many as you want. I used frozen mixed vegetables (with carrot, green beans, peas & corn).
Other veggies like potato, cauliflower, peppers, cabbage can also be added. Leafy veggies like spinach, methi are also great here.
Instructions
Start by soaking moong dal and rice. Soaking time will vary depending on the type of mung beans you choose.
- whole moong dal = 4~6 hours
- split moong dal with skin = 2~4 hours
- split moong without skin = 1~2 hours
- rice = 1~2 hours
Once the dal and rice are soaked and tender, grind them along with ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds and salt. The batter needs to be slightly coarse and not completely smooth.
Next prep the onions. I am not a big fan of raw onions. So, I sprinkle chopped onions with some salt and set them aside to make them. This helps in taming the spicy bite in them.
Make the filling
Next make the Upma. It takes about 15 minutes for this. Heat oil in a wok/ saute pan; add the tempering ingredients.
Once cooked add onions, grated ginger and green chilies, saute until onions turn translucent, about 3~4 minutes. Stir in the mixed vegetables and cook covered until they turn tender.
Add 2~2½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and mix well.
Lower the heat and slowly add the sooji, stirring the water constantly to avoid forming lumps. Cook covered for 3~4 minutes or until sooji is cooked through and all the water is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice (if using), mix well and serve. Adding 1~2tsp ghee at the very end gives the upma a very nice flavor.
Keep it warm while you start making the pesarattu.
Make Pesarattu Upma
Heat a tawa/ griddle on medium-high heat. Pour 2 ladles of batter and using the back of the ladle, spread it around on the tawa into a round dosa/ crepe.
Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil on the dosa and let it cook for 1~2 minutes or until the dosa is cooked and crisp. Carefully flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
Flip again and sprinkle the prepared onions in an even layer and press them down lightly with a spatula. Add the upma in the center, fold over and remove from the pan.
Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve hot with upma and any chutney of your choice. I served with carrot-onion chutney.
More recipes using mung beans
More delicious recipes from Andhra
Tips
- Substitute rice with other whole grains or millets to make the recipe even healthier.
- Other veggies like potato, cauliflower, peppers, cabbage can also be added to upma.
- Leftover batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Pesarattu Upma
Ingredients
To make Pesarattu:
- 2 cups Moong dal*
- ¼ cup Rice
- 3~4 Green chilies
- 2" Ginger piece, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- To taste Salt
- As needed Oil, for cooking
For Serving/ Garnish:
- 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
For Upma:
- 2 teaspoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Chana dal
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 Dry red chili
- 8 Curry leaves
- 1" Ginger piece, grated
- 1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Cashews, chopped
- 2 Green Chilies – slit
- 1 cup Mixed Vegetables (optional)
- 1 cup Sooji/ fine semolina
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- To taste Salt
- 1~2 teaspoons Ghee (optional)
Instructions
To make Pesarattu Batter:
- Soak moong dal. See noted for the soaking times depending on which form of beans you choose. Soak rice for 1~2 hours.
- Grind the soaked moong and rice along with green chilies, ginger, cumin seeds and salt into an almost smooth batter adding just enough water. Batter does not have to be very smooth.
Prep the Onions:
- Prepare the onions by adding salt and mixing well. Set aside.
To make Upma:
- Heat oil in a wok/ saute pan; add urad, chana, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chili. Once the seeds start to sputter and the dals turn golden, add grated ginger and green chilies. Cook for 1 minute.
- Next add onions and cashews, saute until onions turn translucent, about 3~4 minutes.
- Next add the mixed vegetables and cook covered until they turn tender, about 6~8 minutes.
- Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and mix well.
- Lower the heat and slowly add the sooji, stirring the water constantly to avoid forming lumps. Cook covered for 3~4 minutes or until sooji is cooked through and all the water is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice (if using), mix well and serve. Adding 1~2tsp ghee at the very end gives the upma a very nice flavor.
Make the Pesarattu:
- Heat a tawa/ griddle on medium-high heat. Pour 2 ladles of batter and using the back of the ladle, spread it around on the tawa into a round dosa/ crepe.
- Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil on the dosa and let it cook for 1~2 minutes or until the dosa is cooked and crisp. Carefully flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
- Flip again and sprinkle the prepared onions in an even layer and press them down lightly with a spatula. Add the upma in the center, fold over and remove from the pan.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve hot with upma and any chutney of your choice.
Notes
- You could use whole moong dal, split moong dal with skin or split moong without skin.
- Soaking times:
- whole moong dal = 4~6 hours
- split moong dal with skin = 2~4 hours
- split moong without skin = 1~2 hours
- Substitute rice with other whole grains or millets to make the recipe even healthier.
- Other veggies like potato, cauliflower, peppers, cabbage can also be added to upma.
- Leftover batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Niloufer Riyaz
yumm yumm!! healthy n delicious
Nivedhanams Sowmya
cannot get any healthier.. such a wholesome meal!! love them!!Sowmya
Sapana Behl
Omg ! that dosa , Upma and chutney all are so inviting ! Pass this wonderful platter here please .
Rajani S
Padma made this for us in BM meet and a neighbor made it recently for a get together. I really really loved it. I am planning to make it soon…Lovely clicks and all my eyes are on the pesarattu and the onion topping!!!
Nisha Sundar
I can never forget this dish Pavani. I ordered this in a restaurant once without realizing I will never be able to finish it. Such a filling one and delicious as well. 🙂
Veena Theagarajan
healthy and tasty pesarattu.. very filling too
vaishali sabnani
This takes me back to BM 25 when Padma and Valli cooked in the restaurant kitchen..and Padma served these over a live counter. ..Very well made with beautiful clicks.
Poornima Porchelvan
Very filling and tasty breakfast recipe. I heard that they call this MLA pesarattu also.
Srivalli
Pavani, I think we do have Uppindi that’s quite common in our andhra homes..:)..and guess what I have heard with upma first, so you have been right on target!..:)
Priya Suresh
Upma & pesarattu,both makes a super filling breakfast, love to start my day with it.
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
what ahealthy lunch – I love the color of that chutney
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
what ahealthy lunch – I love the color of that chutney
Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi
Wow I feel like just grabbing that plate out of the screen !! The picture looks stunning and very life-like!! A classic combo!!
PJ
Now i am going back to our BM meet when Srivalli and Padma made this for us. Very filling combo and love the color of the pesarittu
preeti garg
Fantastic recipe.
veena krishnakumar
I have eaten this in tirupati…totally yummm..looks very dellicious
Archana Potdar
I was not aware abt this till we had it at the live counter that Padma nd Valli had at BM #25 meet. Love it.
Gayathri's Cook Spot
I love both upma and pesarattu and didn’t know that they make a great combo. Looks so inviting…
Vidya Narayan
Pavani, I love Pesarattu over plain dosas. They are filling especially with Upma and makes a hearty brunch on weekends. Loved the detailed post and the beautiful images.