S12 · Snacks · Karnataka
Moong Dal Paddu
Crisp-outside, soft-inside dumplings cooked in Karnataka's paddu (paniyaram) pan, made from a moong-dominant batter so they are higher in protein than the usual rice-urad version.
- Region
- Karnataka
- Diet
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Time, as written
- Soak 3 h · Rest 30 min · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min
- Serves
- 3 (6 paddu each)
- Difficulty
- Easy (needs a paddu or appe pan)
- Status
- Adaptation — moong dal as the main batter base
- Good for
- Tea-time, tiffin, children's snack box
Nutrition
High protein| Per serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Sugars | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per serving | 230 | 12 g | 33 g | 5 g | 1 g | 6 g | 3 g | 5.5 g |
Tier: High protein. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities (IFCT 2017 and product labels), not laboratory measurements. How the numbers were calculated.
Ingredients
Method
Soak dals and rice together for 3 hours. Drain.
Grind with curd and 50–60 ml water to a thick batter that drops from a spoon in a ribbon. Rest 30 minutes.
Stir in salt, vegetables, curry leaves, chilli, ginger, coriander and, just before cooking, the baking soda.
Heat the paddu pan on medium. Put a few drops of oil in each cavity.
Fill each cavity three-quarters full. Cover and cook 3 minutes until the base is golden.
Turn each paddu with a skewer; cook 2 minutes more, uncovered, until golden all over.
Serve hot with coconut or tomato chutney.
Protein optimisation
- Where the protein comes from
- Moong dal supplies 9 g per serving, urad 2 g, rice and curd 1 g.
- Boost
- Serve with peanut chutney (20 g peanuts per serving: +5 g protein, +115 kcal).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional
- Chettinad kuzhi paniyaram — add 1 tsp chana dal to the tempering and a pinch of crushed pepper.
- Substitution
- Use leftover B13 ragi-moong dosa batter.
- Storage
- Batter keeps 24 hours refrigerated; cooked paddu are best warm, 1 day refrigerated.
- Food safety
- Refrigerate batter if not used within 4 hours.
- Meal prep
- Good.
Allergens
Milk (curd)
Labels: High protein · Soy-free · Whey-free · Gluten-free* · No added sugar · Meal-prep friendly
Gluten-free* means gluten-free only when certified gluten-free hing is used; most hing contains wheat flour.