Pesarattu - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups skin-on, whole green lentils (sabut moong dal)
1 cup uncooked white rice
5 green chile peppers
1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
salt to taste
cooking spray
6 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)

Preparation

Place the lentils and rice into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 4 hours to overnight.
Blend the lentils, rice, green chile peppers, and ginger together into a smooth paste using a blender or food processor. Stir the cumin seed and salt into the paste.
Prepare a flat griddle (tawa) or large, flat-bottomed skillet and place over medium-low heat. Ladle the lentil batter onto the middle of the heated surface and spread into a thin circle using the back of the ladle. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of onions and press the onions onto the pesarattu using your ladle or spatula. Cook for a few minutes and flip over to the other side. Cook a few more minutes, transfer to a plate and serve immediately. Dosas are best eaten hot and crispy right off the tawa.