Pesarattu

MLA pesarattu

A variety of pesarattu served with upma is known as MLA pesarattu. It was popular in MLA quarters restaurants in Hyderabad. It was part of the Andhra meals in MLA quarters. Upma pesarattu is a favourite in coastal Andhra region especially the Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari and West Godavari districts.

Variations

Similar variations are found in North Indian cuisine are moong daal ka cheela or besan ka cheela. In Rajasthan they are commonly known as cheeldo.

Preparation

Preparation of pesarattu is not difficult but needs to be done with perfection to achieve the desired taste.

The first step is soaking the "pesalu" or whole green gram (a 150 ml cup of gram makes about four medium pesarattus) in water for at least four hours (maximum of seven hours). The soaked gram is then ground to a smooth paste with a couple of green chilies, a small piece of ginger, and some salt. Water is added as required. The mixture is allowed to sit for a few minutes to ensure that the interiors of the grains are fully hydrated.

The batter is poured onto a heated pan. If the preparation is meticulous, the pesarattu will slowly start to get crispy over the edges and start to unstick from the pan. In professional cooking facilities, due to high temperatures of the pan, there is usually no need to flip the pesarattu. In domestic settings, the pesarattu is usually flipped, to cook it completely.

Chopped onions and chilies are sometimes added to the pesarattu by spreading them over the batter before it becomes a crepe; upma is similarly used. In some places, both upma and onions are added to pesarattu.