Besan Chilla (Chickpea Flour Crepe)

Besan chilla, sometimes referred to as an eggless “omelet” is a savory pancake made using chickpea flour. The flour is mixed with water, spices and vegetables like tomatoes and onions to make a thick batter.

 This is a simple and healthy preparation, perfect for breakfast, and can be made in less than 15 minutes.

I like my chillas thin, so I add a lot of liquid while making the batter so that it spreads out while cooking. I’ve used a combination of buttermilk and water here. The chillas taste best when they are eaten as soon as they are made.

Ingredients:

(makes 7- 8 thin chillas)

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour/ gram flour)
• ½ cup rice flour
• 2 Tbsp rava/sooji (cream of wheat)
• ½ cup cooked quinoa (optional- I only used it because I had leftovers)
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely diced
• A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• ½ - ¾ cup water
• Salt
• Oil

Method:

Add the besan, rava, rice flour, cooked quinoa, chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, green chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder, ajwain and salt to a large bowl. Add a cup of buttermilk and enough water, mixing well to get a smooth and lump-free batter.

Heat a non-stick griddle or a cast-iron pan. Pour a ladleful of the batter in the center of the pan. Tilt the pan around to spread out the batter.

Add a few drops of oil around the edges of the chilla and also a little in the center. Cook till it turns golden brown on the bottom, then flip over and cook the other side till you see a few golden brown spots. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Serve hot with chutney.