Indian · breakfast, lunch
Moong Dal and Paneer Cheela (Lentil Pancakes)
Video by Your Food Lab on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
A filling, flour-free breakfast: each serve gives about 18 g protein from the dal and paneer, around 11 g fibre and plenty of vegetables, plus calcium from the paneer.
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Ingredients 16
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Wash the moong dal until the water runs clear, then soak it for 1–1½ hours. Drain well. 1:43
- Blend the dal with one piece of ginger, two green chillies, the cumin, a little salt and ¼ cup water to a smooth, pourable batter that is not too thin. 1:56
- For the topping, finely chop the carrot, cabbage, capsicum and the rest of the ginger and chillies (a chopper or grater is quickest). Mix in the grated paneer, coriander and spring onion greens. Don't salt it yet. 3:39
- Heat a flat pan or tawa until a splash of water sizzles away, then wipe it and turn the heat to medium-low. Spread a ladle of batter into a round, not too thin, scatter over some of the topping and press it in. 5:41
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle a little ghee on top and cook until golden underneath. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more so the vegetables and paneer brown a little. 6:22
- Flip back, fold or roll the cheela and cut into pieces. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 7:00
Tip. Serves 5–6 (the cook's number). Time includes 1 hour soaking the dal. Swap in green moong dal for a pesarattu-style cheela, or use oil instead of ghee. Serve with green chutney.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 5
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 26%
- Protein 25%
- Fat 49%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High76%
92 µg a serve, mostly from cabbage (75%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C High71%
64 mg a serve, mostly from cabbage (52%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Folate High53%
213 µg a serve, mostly from yellow moong dal (75%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin A High31%
275 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (42%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Calcium High24%
317 mg a serve, mostly from paneer (76%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin B12 High21%
0.5 µg a serve, mostly from paneer (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Zinc Source19%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from paneer (48%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium Source18%
77 mg a serve, mostly from yellow moong dal (63%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B6 Source18%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from cabbage (35%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium Source16%
8.9 µg a serve, mostly from paneer (68%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Potassium Source13%
600 mg a serve, mostly from yellow moong dal (44%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Iron Source13%
2.4 mg a serve, mostly from yellow moong dal (59%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Show the other 3
Vitamin E6%
0.9 mg a serve. An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Omega-35%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from paneer (65%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from paneer (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Your Food Lab; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.