Jain Moong Dal Chilla: A Breakfast Without Fermentation

A chilla is a thin savoury pancake of ground lentils, and moong dal makes the lightest. It is a favourite Jain breakfast because it is quick, high in protein and made from a batter that is used at once. That last point is the reason it is on this site: many Jain households avoid idli and dosa batter, which is fermented overnight, and eat chilla instead.

Serves: 3 to 4 (about 8 chillas). Time: 20 minutes plus 3 hours soaking.

Ingredients

• 1 cup split yellow moong dal (moong dhuli)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 green chilli
• 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
• 1/4 cup finely chopped capsicum or grated bottle gourd, optional
• Oil or ghee for cooking

Method

1. Wash the dal and soak in plenty of water for three hours, no more. In warm weather, two hours is enough.
2. Drain and grind with the green chilli and a little fresh water to a smooth, pourable batter, like thin cream. Add the cumin, dry ginger, asafoetida, turmeric and salt. Stir in the coriander and vegetables.
3. Heat a flat griddle until a drop of water sizzles at once. Wipe with a little oil.
4. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it out thinly with the back of the ladle, in a circle.
5. Drizzle a little oil around the edge. When the underside is golden and the top looks set, about 2 minutes, flip and cook for a minute more.
6. Serve the chilla at once, and cook the next while eating the last. The batter does not keep well, so cook all of it.

Why it follows the rules

The batter is fresh. Fermentation, as in idli and dosa batter left overnight, grows yeast and bacteria, which in the tradition’s reckoning are living beings. Many Jain families therefore avoid foods made with fermented batters, and also with yeast in bread, vinegar and some pickles. This is one of the points on which communities differ widely, and some Jains eat idli and dosa without hesitation. If your household keeps the rule, chilla is the ready answer.

Soaking is short. The dal is soaked just long enough to soften and grind, and not long enough to begin to sprout or sour. Sprouting is avoided on some days and in some households for the reason that a sprouting seed has begun a new life; see the discussion on the recipes index.

No onion or garlic. Chillas are often made with chopped onion folded in. Here the coriander and chilli carry the flavour.

A breakfast that suits a pachkhan. Many Jains take navkarsi, the vow of nothing until forty-eight minutes after sunrise, and break it with a simple meal. Chilla is quick enough to cook as soon as the time arrives. The Pachkhan time calculator gives the time for your city.

Serving

Serve with a chutney made from fresh coriander, green chilli and lemon, ground without garlic. Chillas are best straight off the pan. Do not store the batter overnight; make only as much as you will cook that morning.

Variations

• Paneer stuffing: spread a spoonful of crumbled fresh paneer over the chilla before folding.
• Bottle gourd chilla: add 1/2 cup of grated, squeezed bottle gourd for a softer texture.
• Besan chilla: swap the moong for 1 cup of gram flour and water, whisked smooth. Cook in the same way.

Related

• Jain recipes: the rules and the dishes
• Methi thepla
• Moong dal khichdi
• Pachkhan times for your city
• Paryushan fasting: every level

Frequently asked questions