India makes a lot of savory pancakes, aka dosas in India. Actually sweet pancakes was an oddity for me when I came to the US. Indians also eat lot of lentils and beans which are turned into stews, curries, salads, snacks, fritters and pancakes. Since about 30% of Indian population is vegetarian, beans provide the the proteinous nutrition.
Mung beans, these are what lead to the long mung bean sprouts, which you might have seen in the Asian grocery store.
Many Indians will not dream of eating beans without soaking them, as they believe that soaking reduces gassiness of beans. Soaking also reduces cooking time. Suppose you soak moong beans on the weekend. Now you can use these soaked beans in multiple ways during the week. Throw a dash in your salad, they will add heft and bulk to the salad. Or add to your soups for some al dente crunch. I do that a lot, soak them over the weekend and then use them in a variety of ways throughout the week.
Today I’m going to show you mung bean dosa, which is not only breakfast item but also a lovely meal. You can pair it with a simple green salad of your choice to round out the meal.
Mung Dal Dosa
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dry whole mung beans
Spices, seasonings and alliums
1 Thai chile pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
Vegetables
1 palmful fresh spinach or 1/2 cup frozen spinach
Oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Yield - Makes 5-6 dosas about 9" in diameter. Make baby ones- 3-4" diameter - to attract kids.
TOOLS
Blender
UTENSILS
2 Mixing bowls, one to soak mung beans and one for the batter (I economize and use the same one for both if I can blend all the beans in one round)
Cast-iron or non-stick skillet
Spatula
Ladle
METHOD
Soak 1 cup mung beans in 3 cups water overnight for at least 8 hours. If you happen to have time, soak the beans for 12 hours, they plump up uniformly as opposed to the ones soaked for 8 hours.
Drain and wash the soaked beans under running water.
Pour soaked beans into the blender along with a handful of spinach, 1 pepper, if using, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons lime juice. If you are using frozen spinach, drain out the excess water by wringing it in a clean kitchen cloth. Add 1.5 cups water and blend fine. Ensure the consistency of the batter is thick and pasty but pourable like pancake batter.
Heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Perform the following test to assess how hot the pan is. Sprinkle few drops of water. As soon as the water touches the pan, if it evaporates right away with a sizzle, the pan is ready. If not, wait and perform the test again.
Pour ½ teaspoon of oil in the pan and make sure it coats the entire pan. Pour about a half cup of batter onto the pan and swirl it around lightly with the back of the ladle to make a pancake. The thickness should be between that of a crepe and a regular pancake.
Once the edges lift off and you see browning on the inside transparent portions, flip the dosa on the other side. Let it cook on the other side. If you like a crunchy pancake then leave it on the other side for some time. Otherwise, it’s alright to turn the heat off once the other side is cooked.
Serve hot with fataafat chutney. If you don’t have time for a chutney, serve the dosa with salsa and cream cheese. Serve with a side of green salad for a rounded meal.
Any kind of dosa or idli NEEDS a chutney. I give you this instant Chutney.
Fataafat Chutney
Every language has certain words, whose nuanced meaning just cannot be captured in its translation. Fataafat is a word in colloquial Hindi language of Mumbai. It means rapidly or fast – two words that are wholly inadequate to express the vibe of fataafat. Even the sound created by uttering the word fataafat conveys speed and urgency. This chutney is so named because it is a matter of blending pantry ingredients and it's ready.
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons almond or peanut butter
1 teaspoon sambal oloek or ½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup finely diced red onions (optional)
Yield - about a cup
METHOD
Blend 4 tablespoons almond or peanut butter, 1 teaspoon sambal oloek, 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt along with ¼ cup water. The finer you blend this chutney, the creamier it will be. Mix in the onions and serve with the piping hot mung dal dosa.