High Protein Moong Dal Cheela with Cottage Cheese Batter, Tofu and Veggies
Upgrade breakfast with this High-Protein Moong Dal Cheela! Features a secret cottage cheese blended batter & spiced tofu veggie topping. Easy & eggless.
Servings: 4 cheelas
Calories: 220kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1 cup yellow moong dal soaked
- ½ cup low fat cottage cheese
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 2 green chilis optional
- Salt to taste
For making the cheelas
- 1 carrot peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ zucchini roughly chopped
- ¼ small red onion cut into 2-3 pieces
- 4 oz extra firm tofu
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chili
- chopped cilantro
- olive oil
Instructions
For the batter
- Wash & soak the1 cup yellow moong dal until the added water turns clear, then let it soak for an hour.
- Once soaked, discard the water & add the dal into a blender jar along with ½ cup low fat cottage cheese, 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, 2 green chilis, and Salt ; grind it into a fine batter.
- Transfer it into a bowl & stir well to check the consistency; the batter should not be too thin.
For making the cheelas
- To make the tofu and veggie topping, add 1 carrot, ½ zucchini, ¼ small red onion, 1 inch ginger, 1 green chili to a chopper jar & chop them. Transfer the veggies to a bowl, then grate the 4 oz extra firm tofu into it, followed by fresh chopped cilantro. Give it a mix, and the topping is ready.
- Set a cast-iron tawa (you can use a non-stick skillet as well) over high heat & let it heat up. Sprinkle water once it gets hot to check the temperature; the water should sizzle & evaporate in a few seconds. Spoon a little olive oil into the skillet, pour ¼ cup of batter, and spread it into a circle, as you would for a crepe or a dosa.
- Add the tofu and veggie topping evenly on the surface, and press it gently with a spatula so that it doesn’t fall off. Sprinkle salt, black pepper & olive oil on the top & cook covered with a lid over medium flame until the cheela becomes light golden brown from the bottom.
- Once the cheela is golden brown from the bottom, roll it, transfer it onto a chopping board & cut it into pieces. Pro tip: If you are using a non-stick skillet, you can also flip the cheela so that the veggies can soften a bit. This requires a little bit of skill, but can be done if you prefer.
- Repeat until all the batter is used up. Your delicious & healthy moong dal ka cheela with cottage cheese and tofu is ready; serve it with some green chutney & sweet tamarind chutney.
Video
Notes
- Soaking the moong dal - Soak your dal for at least an hour. The longer the better! If you are short on time, you can also soak the dal in hot water until it is soft enough to grind.
- Temperature of the skillet/tawa - is very critical. Make sure to do the water sprinkle test to make sure the pan is hot. If the water drops sizzle and evaporate, you are ready to start making cheelas (crepes).
- Do not skip ginger - For me, ginger is non-negotiable - especially in the batter, so do not skip it. The warmth and aromatic quality are essential.
- Store the batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after blending. When ready to make cheelas, take them out of the refrigerator and give them a good whisk before you start cooking with the batter.
- Cooked plain cheelas (without the tofu veggie topping) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let the cooked cheelas cool, then stack them, wrap them in a piece of foil, and keep them in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, you can reheat them in a microwave or on a skillet.
- Store the leftover cheelas (with topping) wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. When ready to eat, you can reheat them in a microwave or on a skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2626IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg
