Description
Pesarattlu : plural for pesarattu - a thick crêpe made with pesara pappu meaning Mung bean batter. This dish was invented to use up leftover pesarattus although its popularity is so high that today many households will make pesarattus specifically for preparing this dish. If making pesarattu for this dish, it is recommended to make extra thick crêpes that can absorb all the delicious liquid that is added.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pesara pappu/mung beans
- 1 large lime sized ball of tamarind
- 2 large onions
- 6" piece of ginger
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 6 - 8 green chillies
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cloves
- 4" stick of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp minapa pappu/ural dal
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 - 4 dry red chillies, broken in half
- 2 sprigs of curry leaves
- 2 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- Salt to taste
Directions
Pesarattu
- Soak pesara pappu in water for 3 hours
- Wash pesara pappu 2 to 3 times and drain the water
- Roughly chop 1/2 onion, 3 green chillies, and 1/2 of the ginger root
- Coarsely grind the pesara pappu with everything from step 3 and 1 tsp of cumin seeds and salt
- Leave aside for 1 hour
- Make 4 pancakes from the batter on a griddle and let them cool
Pesarattlu Koora
- Soak tamarind in 2 cups of hot water, when cool to touch squeeze the pulp and remove any pits and fiber and set aside
- Dice 1 onion and 2 green chillies and set aside
- Grind remaining 1/2 onion, 2 to 3 green chillies, ginger, garlic, cloves and cinnamon
- Heat oil in a large pot and add the popu ingredients - minapa pappu, dry red chillies, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds
- When the mustard seeds are spluttering, add the diced onion, green chillies, and curry leaves
- When the onions turn golden brown, add the ground masala with turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and fry till brown
- Stack the pesarattus and cut into 2" squares
- Add the pesarattus to the pot and stir well, fry for two minutes
- Add the tamarind pulp water and boil till most of the water evaporates
Serve hot over steaming rice