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.
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