As the name Suggest, Leftover Dal Pancakes are made using leftover dal, i.e. the curry or the soup as you call made using dal. Few of the flours are added along with some veggies to make it nutritious, healthy and a complete meal. These pancakes can be enjoyed for breakfast or for your main meals.

Use your Leftovers
Every now and then we have a lot of leftovers and throwing food is really bad. I try to avoid it as much as possible and even educate my kids on the same. At times it is difficult but it has to be done. We have so much food to our disposal that we are ignoring it. Many times people do not feel bad at all about it. But there are people dying of starvation. My parents never allowed us to even leave a single grain.
Recipes with Leftovers
I even use my leftover rice and make yummy pakoras or make this delicious Mumbai style tawa pulao. Left over Pulao can be turned into koftas and leftover poha can be turned into delicious tea time cutlet/tikkis.
What goes in today’s recipe
So coming to today’s recipe of Leftover Dal Pancakes. I use my leftover dal in 2 ways. Either knead a dough out of it for parathas next day or make these pancakes. One can play around the ingredients in this. Today I have added Rice Flour, Jowar, Ragi and Gram Flour (Besan). One can add any combination of flours or vegetables. Similarly for veggies. I generally add whatever is available in my fridge.
The texture and taste of these pancakes comes similar to thalipeeth. And certainly why not, as the traditional thalipeeth is a combination of different flours. These pancakes go well with a simple sauce or one use any chutney on the side.

I like to add some onion, garlic, ginger along with a few spices as it adds to taste. Though one should be careful in adding the spices as it even depends on how much spice you already have in your dal.
So here goes the recipe for Leftover Dal Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 Cups of Leftover Dal (My Dal is thick)
- ¼ Cup (1 small) Carrot finely chopped
- ¼ Cup (1 small) onion (optional)
- 2 Cups of Flour mix (I have used half cup each of the below:)
- Pearl millet Flour (Bajra)
- Rice Flour
- Gram Flour (Besan)
- Finger Millet Flour (Ragi)
- 1 Clove of garlic grated/paste
- ¼ Cup chopped Coriander
- 1-2 Green chili chopped (as per taste)
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric (Haldi)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili powder
- Salt as needed
- Oil for shallow frying
- Water as needed
Preparation
- In a Big bowl, add the Dal.

- Now add the different flours being used.

- Add in the vegetables, onion, garlic, green chili’s, coriander, spices and salt.

- Mix everything.
- Add water and make a thick batter. Check the consistency below.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

- Heat a griddle or a dosa tawa.
- Once hot, drizzle some oil and wipe it clean with a tissue or half cut potato.
- Take 2 tablespoon of batter and spread it to form a pancake/chila/dosa.

- Let this cook on the underside for 5-6 minutes on medium to slow.
- Drizzle some oil on the side and the top.
- Flip and let it cook on the underside too for 5-6 minutes on medium to slow.

- Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney on the side.

Notes:
- 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon=15 ml, 1 Cup=235 ml
- Any combination of flours can be used.
- Any combination of vegetables can be used.
- Adjust the spices according to taste.

Leftover Dal Pancakes
Equipment
- Griddle/Pan
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 cup of Leftover Dal (My Dal is thick)
- ¼ Cup 1 small Carrot finely chopped
- ¼ Cup 1 small onion (optional)
- 2 cup of Flour mix (I have used half cup each of the below: )
- Pearl millet Flour (Bajra)
- Rice Flour
- Gram Flour (Besan)
- Finger Millet Flour (Ragi)
- 1 Clove of garlic grated/paste
- ¼ Cup chopped Coriander
- 1-2 Green chili chopped (as per taste)
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric (Haldi)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili powder
- Salt
- Oil for shallow frying
- Water as required
Instructions
- In a Big bowl, add the Dal.
- Now add the different flours being used.
- Add in the vegetables, onion, garlic, green chili’s, coriander, spices and salt.
- Mix everything.
- Add water and make a thick batter. Check the consistency below.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a griddle or a dosa tawa.
- Once hot, drizzle some oil and wipe it clean with a tissue or half cut potato.
- Take 2 tablespoon of batter and spread it to form a pancake/chila/dosa.
- Let this cook on the underside for 5-6 minutes on medium to slow.
- Drizzle some oil on the side and the top.
- Flip and let it cook on the underside too for 5-6 minutes on medium to slow.
- Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney on the side
Notes
- 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon=15 ml, 1 Cup=235 ml
- Any combination of flours can be used.
- Any combination of vegetables can be used. Adjust the spices according to taste.

I have changed the recipe a bit, just adding only gluten free flours and a few more spices. Also updating the contents of this post and adding new pics. Sharing this with Foodies_RedoingOldPost_22

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Sasmita
Thursday 16th of April 2020
use of leftover dal here to make pancakes is a lovely idea for sure. Yes we can use any flours and veggies to make a healthy and delicious option for breakfast !
Renu Agrawal-Dongre
Friday 17th of April 2020
Yes, Thank You
Mayuri Patel
Saturday 11th of April 2020
What an innovative way to use up leftover dal. Sometimes we have dal that is not enough for one or even two and I always wish I could use it up instead of me having it again. This recipe is what I'd definitely want to remember when I have leftover dal.
Sapana
Thursday 9th of April 2020
Such a wonderful idea to use leftover dal to make pancakes. I always make paratha with leftover dal never thought of pancakes. Nice one.