Diet PocketVegetarian · One serving
Moong Dal Chilla with Curd: A Budget Vegetarian Breakfast
Make moong dal chilla with 70 g dry dal, vegetables and plain curd. A one-serving Indian breakfast with ingredient costs and step-by-step cooking.
By Diet Pocket · Recipe guide · General food guidance, not medical advice
- Estimated serving cost
- ₹36
- Estimated protein
- 21 g
- Total time
- 25 minutes + 4 hours soaking
Illustrative home-cooked cost per serving in India, not live market prices. Includes every listed ingredient used; excludes fuel, equipment and delivery. Buying whole packs costs more. Protein is an ingredient-based estimate, not lab-tested; brands, edible yields and substitutions change it.
A good budget breakfast starts with ingredients you can measure, not a long shopping list. This moong dal chilla recipe uses soaked yellow moong dal as the pancake base and plain curd on the side. The lentils and curd both contribute protein. It makes about three small chillas for one person; thickness and pan size change the final count.
Ingredients for one person
Dry and raw edible weights are labelled. All oil, spices and sides are listed.
- Yellow moong dal, dry₹1270 g
- Plain curd₹12100 g
- Onion₹230 g
- Carrot₹340 g
- Ginger₹15 g
- Oil₹25 ml
- Cumin₹11 g
- Turmeric₹10.5 g
- Chilli powder₹10.5 g (optional)
- Salt₹1up to 1 g, to taste
- Water₹0as directed below
How to cook
Equipment: Blender, non-stick tawa, bowl
- 1
Rinse 70 g dry moong dal and soak in plenty of drinking water for 4 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water.
- 2
Blend the soaked dal with ginger and 60–90 ml fresh water until pourable but not watery. Stir in finely chopped onion, grated carrot and the measured spices and salt.
- 3
Warm a non-stick tawa on medium heat. Use part of the 5 ml oil and spread one-third of the batter into a small pancake.
- 4
Cook for 3–4 minutes until the top sets. Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the centre is cooked; repeat with the remaining batter and oil.
- 5
Serve the chillas with 100 g plain curd. Keep the curd chilled until serving.
Make the budget work
Buy plain dry dal rather than an instant mix. The serving cost includes curd, oil and spices; it is not the price of buying whole packs.
A practical variation
Use finely chopped seasonal greens instead of carrot. For a dairy-free version, omit curd or choose an unsweetened alternative; recalculate protein and cost.
Can I make moong dal chilla without soaking?
For this recipe, soak the whole split dal first so it blends smoothly and cooks evenly. A flour-based version needs a different water ratio and is not a direct replacement.
Food safety and allergens
Cook the batter through; do not eat it raw. Refrigerate leftover cooked chillas promptly.
Allergens: Milk in curd; check packaged ingredients for cross-contact.
Refrigerate perishable cooked food within 2 hours, or 1 hour when above 32°C. Reheat leftovers to 74°C. Follow package instructions and do not use food that has been stored unsafely.
Protein estimates use typical ingredient values; compare with your package labels. See USDA FoodData Central for food-composition reference data. No outcomes or individual nutrition needs are guaranteed.
