Telangana Pesarattu Upma Combination Andhra Breakfast

Method

1. 1

   Make upma first: Heat oil. Add mustard seeds — pop. Add curry leaves, asafoetida. Add onion — cook 5 minutes until soft. Add green chilli and ginger paste. Add 1.5 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil. Add roasted semolina gradually while stirring. Cook 3 minutes until thick. Cover and rest 5 minutes. Keep warm.

2. 2

   Make pesarattu batter: Drain soaked moong and rice together. Grind in a mixer with green chilli, ginger and cumin seeds. Add water gradually — about 1 cup. Grind until smooth. Add salt.

3. 3

   Heat griddle: Heat a flat non-stick griddle on medium-high. Add 2 drops oil and spread.

4. 4

   Pour and spread the pesarattu: Pour 1/3 cup batter. Spread thin — about 20 cm in diameter — using the back of the ladle in concentric circles.

5. 5

   Add oil around edges: Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil around the edges.

6. 6

   Place upma on half the crepe: While the pesarattu is still cooking, place 2 tablespoons of warm upma in the centre of the top half of the crepe.

7. 7

   Fold the crepe over the upma: Fold the bottom half of the pesarattu over the upma filling to form a half-moon shape enclosing the upma inside.

8. 8

   Cook until golden: Cook 1 more minute until the outside is crispy and golden.

9. 9

   Serve: Serve immediately with ginger chutney (blend ginger, coconut, green chilli and yogurt) and tomato chutney.

10. 10

    Eat while hot: The pesarattu-upma must be eaten immediately — the crispy outside softens quickly from the upma moisture inside.

11. 11

    Note: Pesarattu-Upma (also called MLA Pesarattu — named because it was supposedly favoured by MLAs at the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly canteen in Hyderabad) is the signature restaurant breakfast of Andhra and Telangana. The combination of the crispy moong crepe with the soft semolina filling inside provides contrasting textures in every bite. Every Andhra restaurant serves this combination — it is the breakfast that defines the cuisine to outsiders.