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To prepare Moong Dal Cheela, take 1 cup of split yellow moong dal, and wash it thoroughly under running water to remove all impurities.
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After cleaning it, place it in a vessel, cover the vessel with water, and then soak it for 3-4 hours. The soaking softens the dal and makes grinding easy while also resulting in a better texture at the end for your recipe of Moong Dal Cheela.
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Squeeze out the excess water from the moong dal after soaking.
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Load this soaked dal with 1-2 green chillies and a small piece of about 1-inch piece of ginger to give flavour into the blender and add some water for grinding so that it turns in the right consistency that is pasty and just like dosa batter, thick but flowing.
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Now, once you prepare the batter, transfer it to a mixing bowl.
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Add salt according to your taste, maybe 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves. These are added for both flavour and freshness of aroma to your Moong Dal Cheela recipe.
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Mix everything well so that every ingredient is well-distributed in the batter.
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Place a non-stick tawa or griddle on medium heat and heat it. A well-heated tawa will make sure that the cheese is going to cook evenly to a tasteful golden colour.
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Once the tawa is hot, pour a ladle full of the prepared batter into it.
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Spread the batter with the back of the ladle in a circular motion to spread it out thinly for a thin cheela. The thinner your cheela, the crisper it's going to turn out.
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Drizzle one teaspoon of oil on the edges of the cheela. Oil helps in cooking and is responsible for that crispy texture you look for in perfectly fried cheela. You can use any cooking oil you prefer, vegetable oil or ghee for the most flavour. This should be when the cheela finishes cooking undisturbed.
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Now it should be about 2-3 minutes where the bottom has turned into that appetizing golden brown.
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Watch it closely so you do not overcook and turn up the heat if necessary.
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Once the first side browns to golden, flip the cheese with a spatula and let the other side cook for about 2-3 minutes until it browns equally.
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The cheela must be cooked through with a lightly crisp exterior.
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Repeat this process for the remaining batter.
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Cook multiple cheelas in one go if your size of tawa allows it. Also, always add oil around the edges for proper cooking.
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Serve hot, as they taste best when fresh and warm.
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The best accompaniment to this Moong Dal Cheela is green chutney or yoghurt; they don't just complement the flavours of the cheela but also make the whole experience of dining better.
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Relish your homemade Moong Dal Cheela as a wholesome snack or a light meal. It's nutritious and delicious because of the involvement of the protein-rich moong dal and spices in its making.