Green Moong Chilla: Green Gram Savory Crepes

Protein-packed, gluten-free, and vegan, this green moong chilla recipe is a healthy breakfast recipe worth trying out. 

Indian breakfasts are a great way to kick-start your day. They are full of flavor and are crafted using healthy, wholesome ingredients. This green moong chilla recipe is an excellent example- it is prepared using healthy pantry essentials and takes just a few minutes of kitchen time. 

Chillas are basically savory crepes, and if you haven’t tried them out yet, now’s the perfect time to. This classic recipe is sure to be a hit with everyone in the family. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients For the Recipe
• How to Make the Green Moong Chilla
• Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
• Green Moong Chilla: Green Gram Savory Crepes

Ready to try it out? Here’s everything you need to know about the recipe. 

Ingredients For the Recipe

You’ll need a bunch of very simple ingredients and spices to make the green moong chilla. 

• Green moong (Green gram): ½ cup
• Water: As required
• Onions (chopped): ¼ cup
• Tomatoes (chopped): ⅛ cup
• Green/red chilies (chopped): 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
• Red chili powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp or as per taste

How to Make the Green Moong Chilla

Once you have all the ingredients at hand, you can follow this step-by-step recipe. 

Soak the green gram in enough water overnight. 

Once properly soaked, transfer the soaked green gram into a blender and blend into a smooth paste. Add as little water as required. 

Next, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. The mixture should be of flowy consistency. 

Heat a flat pan and using a ladle, transfer a small quantity onto the pan and flatten it out like a pancake. 

Cook both sides for a minute or until done. 

Serve hot with curd and pickle as breakfast.

What Else Can I Add to the Green Moong Chilla?

Onions, tomatoes, and spices are classic additions to the chilla, but you don’t need to stop there. You can throw in many other ingredients and veggies into the mix, depending on your taste preference and what you have at hand. 

Finely chopped veggies are a classic that you can never go wrong with- chopped cabbage, carrots, beetroot, cabbage, zucchini, cauliflower, and bell peppers are all good options. You can also boil some broccoli, grate it and add it to the chilla batter. 

How Do I Keep the Chillas From Sticking to the Pan?

A common complaint most people have when it comes to making chillas or dosas is the fact that they end up sticking to the pan in which they’re being cooked. 

If you can relate, well, following these little tips can help you prevent it. 

• Make sure you choose a nonstick cooking surface for your chillas. Remember to season it well with oil. 
• Cook the chillas on low to medium heat. If you must, cover the pan with a lid. 
• Drizzle some oil on the top of the chillas and on the sides of the pan to make it easy for you to flip it over. 
• Resist the urge to press the chillas flat onto the pan using your spatula. Allow it to cook completely before you get it out. 
• Always season the pan well before you add the batter for each chilla. 

Can I Make & Store it For Later?

Chillas and dosas taste best when they are made and served fresh. Making a big batch in advance and storing it in the refrigerator might seem ideal, but it won’t give you that nice crispiness and fresh taste that you’re looking for. 

You can, however, make the batter in advance and refrigerate it. Then, when you want to make the chillas, just get the batter out 20-30 minutes before and then put the chillas together. 

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

The recipe is super simple no doubt, but some additional tips and tricks can help you take the green moong chillas to perfection. 

• While grinding and preparing the batter for the chillas, remember to keep it thick, and then add in water to adjust the consistency. If you add more water to the batter from the beginning, it might turn out runny than you’d want it to be.
• If your chilla batter has ended up runny, you can fix it by adding in a spoonful of gram flour, oat flour, semolina, or rice flour. Adding rice flour will help your chillas get even more crispy. 
• To increase the nutritive value of the chillas, you can also use sprouted green moong instead of your regular green moong. Remember that the sprouted variety will not need to be soaked- you can begin using them directly. 
• To lend the chillas that nice green color, you can add some chopped coriander or spinach into the mixture. 
• Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of black salt to the batter to take its flavor up a notch. 
• The batter for these chillas doesn’t need fermentation, but you can add some yogurt into the mixture and let the mixture rest for a while before using it to make the chillas more fluffy. Remember that if you’re adding yogurt, you will need to reduce the amount of water you’re adding, for obvious reasons. 
• Another excellent way to bump up the nutritive value of these chillas is to add some sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or ground flaxseeds into the mixture. 
• Regardless of what you are adding to the batter, remember to use a whisk to make sure everything is incorporated together well, and that the batter is free from any lumps. 

How to Serve the Green Moong Chilla

One of the best things about these chillas is the fact that they are so versatile, you can serve them in so many different ways. 

They are mildly flavored, which is why you can pair them with a bowl of fresh yogurt or some south Indian chutneys. If you don’t mind a bit of heat, some pickle or spicy dip can work too. 

If you’re planning to make this as a part of a complete Indian breakfast spread you’re making, don’t forget to team the chillas with some vegetable upma, hot aloo parathas, or masala dosas and masala chai.