Besan chilla
A quick North Indian breakfast: thin, savoury pancakes of chickpea flour (besan) with finely chopped onion, tomato, chilli and coriander. They have no eggs or wheat flour, yet are filling and rich in protein. The batter takes five minutes, with no yeast. Two things decide success: a 10-minute rest for the batter, so the flour swells, and a properly hot pan — then the pancakes do not stick and get crisp edges.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Vegetables 8 min
- Batter and rest 12 min
- Frying 25 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneChop the vegetables very finely
Chop the onion, deseeded tomato, chilli and coriander as finely as you can, and grate the ginger. Large pieces tear the thin pancakes when you flip them.
Ingredients: 1 pcs small red onion · 1 pcs tomato, deseeded · 1 pcs green chilli · 1 tsp ginger, grated · 3 tbsp coriander, chopped
As finely as possible — large pieces tear the pancake.Mix the batter
In a bowl mix the chickpea flour with the turmeric, cumin and salt. Add the water gradually, whisking, until the batter is smooth, like single cream. Besan lumps easily — which is why the water goes in bit by bit.
Ingredients: 150 g chickpea flour (besan) · 200 ml water · ¼ tsp turmeric · ½ tsp cumin seeds · ¾ tsp salt
Add the vegetables and rest
Stir in the vegetables and leave the batter 10 minutes. The flour swells and the batter thickens slightly — if too much, add a spoon of water.
Ingredients: 1 pcs small red onion · 1 pcs tomato, deseeded · 1 pcs green chilli · 1 tsp ginger, grated · 3 tbsp coriander, chopped
Ten minutes — the flour swells.Heat the pan
Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium heat and brush it thinly with oil. The pan must be properly hot — on a cold one the pancakes stick.
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil · 100 g plain yoghurt
Spread a thin pancake
Pour half a ladle of batter into the centre of the pan and at once spread it with the back of the ladle in circles into a pancake about 18 cm across.
Ingredients: 150 g chickpea flour (besan) · 200 ml water · ¼ tsp turmeric · ½ tsp cumin seeds · ¾ tsp salt
Fry on both sides
Drizzle a few drops of oil round the edge and fry 2–3 minutes, until the edges lift and brown and the top sets. Flip and fry another 1–2 minutes.
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil · 100 g plain yoghurt
The edges lift — time to flip.Fry the rest
Fry the remaining pancakes the same way, stirring the batter before each, as the vegetables sink. You will get about 6; frying them all takes about 25 minutes.
Ingredients: 150 g chickpea flour (besan) · 200 ml water · ¼ tsp turmeric · ½ tsp cumin seeds · ¾ tsp salt
Serve with yoghurt
Serve hot, folded in half, with yoghurt or a green coriander and mint chutney.
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil · 100 g plain yoghurt
Before you start
Vegan version
The pancakes are fully plant-based. Just serve them with chutney instead of yoghurt, or with coconut yoghurt.
Stuffed
A popular version fills the chilla with grated paneer or spiced tofu — scatter it over the pancake just after flipping and fold in half.
Storage
The batter keeps a day in the fridge, but the vegetables release juice and it may need a spoon of flour to thicken it. The pancakes are best straight from the pan.
