Pesarattu & Allam Pachadi

 

Ingredients

Whole green gram (moong dal)

Rice (optional, for crispiness)

Ginger

Green chillies

Cumin seeds

Salt

Water

Oil or ghee for cooking

🥣 Preparation Steps

Soak: Rinse and soak whole moong dal (and rice if using) for 4–6 hours or overnight.

Grind: Drain and blend with ginger, green chillies, cumin, and salt to a smooth batter. Add water as needed.

Rest: Let the batter rest for 30 minutes (optional but helps texture).

Cook: Heat a pan, pour a ladle of batter, and spread it thin like a dosa. Drizzle oil or ghee around the edges.

Flip: Cook until golden and crisp, then flip if desired.

Serve: Traditionally served with ginger chutney or upma.

Here’s a summary of how to make Ginger Chutney (Allam Pachadi), a popular South Indian condiment that pairs beautifully with idli, dosa, vada, and especially pesarattu:

🌶️ Ingredients

Fresh ginger – sliced (not finely chopped to avoid bitterness)

Onions – cubed and separated into layers

Chana dal & urad dal – for texture and aroma (can substitute with peanuts)

Dry red chillies – for heat

Tamarind – soaked or added directly

Jaggery – for sweetness

Salt – to taste

Oil – for sautéing

🍳 Preparation Steps

Soak tamarind in ¼ cup water or set aside for blending later 1.

Heat oil in a pan and fry chana dal and urad dal until golden. Add red chillies and fry until crisp 1.

Remove dal and chillies from the pan and let them cool.

In the same pan, sauté onions and ginger until onions turn pinkish-golden. Avoid browning the ginger 1.

Cool all ingredients, then blend with salt, jaggery, and tamarind until smooth 1.

Optional tempering: You can temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing if desired.