These easy vegan moong dal (yellow lentil) pancakes with sesame seeds and spinach are great to serve alongside Indian food or as a wrap or savory pancake. Serve them with curries or with some salsa or dips. No soaking lentils needed as we use lentil flour. Gluten-free!
Meet Moong Cheela(chilla) – your recent favorite savory pancake! Normally moong dal chilla are made by soaking the moong dal(petite yellow lentils/skinned green mung beans), then mixing with water to make a batter. But it’s also possible to use moong flour to make them!
These Indian spiced pancake flatbreads are made with lentil flour and are simply great to function a side with Indian food or as is, loaded with other toppings.
You possibly can serve these with curries, like this chickpea curry, and a few dal. Or serve them with some salsa or dips of selection or you may make them into smaller flatbreads and use them as tacos.
It’s also possible to turn them into larger flatbreads, to make vegan quesadillas.
Moong Dal Flour Pancakes
I take advantage of moong dal flour on this recipe, which implies you don’t need to soak the dal and mix it, there is no such thing as a mixing or processing needed, it’s a 1 bowl pancake recipe.
Moong bean or moong dal flour is out there in Indian stores. When you can’t find moong dal flour you need to use soaked green moong beans or soaked yellow moong dal(skinned green mung bean)
Soak them for not less than 6 hours or overnight after which mix them with either the rice flour or soaked rice until you get a batter then add in the remainder of the ingredients and use.
Turn these into Moong Bean Waffles:
You should use the lentil pancakes batter to make savory moong bean waffles!. Keep the batter barely thick when adding water. Add 1/8 teaspoon more baking soda (total 1/4 teaspoon). Grease the waffle iron and make waffles
More pancake recipes:
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Lentil pancakes with Sesame Seeds and Spinach
These easy vegan moong dal chilla (yellow lentil) pancakes with sesame seeds and spinach are great to serve alongside Indian food or as a wrap or savory pancake. Serve them with curries or with some salsa or dips. No soaking lentils needed as we use lentil flour. Gluten-free!
Servings: 4
Calories: 186kcal
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (136 g) moong dal flour, that’s flour of green mung beans. You could find this online or in Indian stores or simply grind up green mung beans or yellow moong dal in a blender until superb meal flour
- 1/4 cup (40 g) rice flour, white or brown, omit to make grainfree
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes or cayenne or chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 to three tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) water or as needed
- 1 tsp minced ginger or ginger paste
- 2 to three tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup (78 g) chopped spinach or 1/3 cup frozen spinach thawed
- 1/4 cup (40 g) onions chopped
- optional additions: either or all of 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 green chili chopped, 1 tablespoon chopped curry leaves
Instructions
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In a big bowl, add all of the dry ingredients; that’s the moong dal flour, rice flour, spices, baking soda, sesame seeds and blend well.
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Add in 3/4 cup of water and blend in. Then add more water as needed to make pancake like batter. Fold in the ginger, spinach, cilantro and chopped onion
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Let this batter sit for 10 minutes, it’d thicken somewhat depending on the flour you employ, so you would possibly need to thin it out with a tablespoon or more of water.
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Prep your skillet in the mean time and preheat it. Heat the skillet over medium heat until it’s nicely hot, then drizzle a couple of drops of oil. Use a paper napkin to spread that oil throughout. Then use a ladle and pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter in your skillet and spread it using your ladle in concentric circles to make an evenly thick flatbread. See pictures
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Drizzle a couple of drops of oil on the sides and cook for 3 to five minutes then flip and proceed to cook for one more 3 to five minutes. The timing will depend on your skillet and your stove. You would like the batter to get completely set, don’t have any soft spots anywhere, and likewise get golden brown in some spots.
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Take off the skillet and repeat for the remainder of the batter. Serve with chutneys like my tomato chutney, mango chutney, ketchup, hot sauce or curries.
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Store in a covered container on the counter for the day.These chilla are crisp when just made. Store in a 275 F warm oven until able to serve. Store in a closed container within the refrigerator for upto 4 days. Reheat on the skillet or microwave
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Make waffles: you need to use this batter to make savory waffles. Keep the batter barely thick when adding water. Add 1/8 teaspoon more baking soda(total 1/4 teaspoon). Grease the waffle iron and make waffles
Notes
Lentil Flour substitute: When you cant find moong dal flour you need to use soaked green moong beans or soaked yellow moong dal and even soaked red lentils. soak 3/4 cup for not less than 6 hours or overnight after which mix them with either the rice flour or soaked rice, add just one/4 cup water to start with, mix for half a minute, and add more water if needed, mix again until you get a batter then add in the remainder of the ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Lentil pancakes with Sesame Seeds and Spinach
Amount Per Serving
Calories 186
Calories from Fat 27
% Day by day Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Sodium 337mg15%
Potassium 502mg14%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 442IU9%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 93mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Day by day Values are based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
Ingredients
- because the dry mixture we use a combination of rice flour and moong dal flour – that’s flour of green mung beans. You could find this online or in Indian stores, or simply grind up green mung beans or yellow moong dal in a blender
- seasoning: salt, pepper flakes or cayenne or chili powder, turmeric and ginger
- sesame seeds add some crunch
- baking soda makes these nice and crisp on the skin
- as fresh ingredients, we add chopped onions, cilantro and spinach or frozen spinach
Suggestions:
- The flour of the entire bean is more easily available and is somewhat green. The flour of moong dal(skinned mung bean) shall be yellow. You possibly can make your personal flour and store it to make use of to make these pancakes.
- Flour substitute: When you can’t find moong dal flour you need to use soaked green moong beans or soaked yellow moong dal and even soaked red lentils. Soak them for not less than 6 hours or overnight after which mix them with either the rice flour or soaked rice, add just one/4 cup water to start with, mix for half a minute, and add more water if needed, mix again until you get a batter then add in the remainder of the ingredients.
Find out how to make Moong Cheela Lentil Pancakes
In a big bowl, add all of the dry ingredients – that’s the moong dal flour, rice flour, spices, baking soda, and sesame seeds and blend well.
Add in 3/4 cup of water and blend in. Then add more water as needed to make a pancake-like batter. Fold within the ginger, spinach, cilantro and chopped onion
Let this batter sit for 10 minutes, it’d thicken somewhat depending on the flour you employ, so you would possibly need to thin it out with a tablespoon or more of water.
Prep your skillet in the mean time and preheat it. Heat the skillet over medium heat until it’s nicely hot, then use a couple of drops of oil.
Use a paper napkin to spread that oil throughout, then use a ladle and pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter in your skillet and spread it using your ladle in concentric circles to make an evenly thick flatbread.
Drizzle a couple of drops of oil on the sides and cook for 3 to five minutes then flip and proceed to cook for one more 3 to five minutes. The timing will depend on your skillet and your stove.
You would like the batter to get completely solid, don’t have any soft spots anywhere, and likewise get golden brown in some spots.
Take off the skillet and repeat for the remainder of the batter. Serve with chutneys like tomato chutney, ketchup, hot sauce or curries.
Store in a covered container on the counter for the day. Refrigerate for as much as 4 days.
Pictures above and below using different skillets. Each are nonstick. One has pfoa free stone earth non stick coating on aluminum pan, the opposite a non stick anodized iron skillet(tawa).
Make waffles: you need to use this batter to make savory waffles. Keep the batter barely thick when adding water. Add 1/8 teaspoon more baking soda (total 1/4 teaspoon). Heat the waffle iron and make waffles
Storage
These pancakes are crisp when just made. Store in a 275 F warm oven until able to serve.
Store in a closed container within the refrigerator for upto 3 days. Reheat on the skillet or microwave
Continuously asked questions
Can I make this with other lentils
Yes use red lentils, or split peas or other lentils , you need to use whole or split lentils. Whole lentils will make a grittier batter if soaking and mixing. You should use other lentil flours as well.
Can I make this without rice flour
Yes, omit the rice flour. You’ll need a couple of tablespoons less water
Can I make this without onion?
Yes omit the onion, or use zucchini as an alternative
