Rinse the moong dal under running water two to three times until the water runs mostly clear, then place it in a bowl and cover with enough water to submerge it by about two inches.

Let the dal soak at room temperature until the grains have softened and can be easily mashed between two fingers.

Drain the soaked dal and transfer it to a blender with the chopped ginger, green chili, and cumin seeds, then add a small amount of fresh water and blend into a smooth, thick, pourable batter.

Pour the batter into a mixing bowl, cover, and let it rest so the ground dal fully hydrates and the batter loosens slightly.

While the batter rests, finely chop the onion, deseed and finely chop the tomato, and finely chop the coriander leaves.

Fold the chopped onion, tomato, and coriander leaves into the rested batter along with a pinch of salt, stirring just until evenly distributed.

Heat a flat tawa or non-stick griddle over medium heat until a few drops of water flicked onto the surface sizzle and evaporate immediately.

Pour a ladleful of batter onto the center of the hot tawa and spread it outward in a circular motion with the back of the ladle to form a thin, even round.

Drizzle a little oil around the edges of the cheela and cook undisturbed until the surface looks set and small pores appear across the top and the underside turns golden brown.

Flip the cheela with a flat spatula and cook the second side until it also turns golden brown with crisp edges.

Fold the cooked cheela in half or roll it, transfer to a serving plate, and repeat the spreading and cooking process with the remaining batter.