Besan Chilla
Thin golden Indian pancakes made from chickpea flour, packed with juicy vegetables and fresh cilantro — a quick, spicy breakfast with crispy edges.
Ingredients
- chickpea flour (besan)100 g
- water250 ml
- onion1 pcs
- tomato1 pcs
- green chili1 pcs
- fresh ginger5 g
- fresh cilantro15 g
- ajwain seeds0.5 tsp
- ground turmeric0.25 tsp
- ground chili0.5 tsp
- vegetable oil30 ml
- salt1 to taste
- mint-coriander chutney1 to taste
Instructions
In a bowl, combine 100 g chickpea flour, 0.5 tsp ajwain seeds, 0.25 tsp turmeric, 0.5 tsp ground red chili, and salt to taste.
Pour in 250 ml water gradually, whisking each time until you get a smooth, lump-free batter; let it rest for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates evenly.
Add finely chopped onion, tomato, green chili, grated ginger, and cilantro, mix well, and check the consistency: the batter should be runny but coat a ladle in a thin layer.
Heat a tawa or nonstick skillet well over medium-high heat and grease it with a little oil.
Pour about a quarter of the batter into the center and quickly spread it with the ladle into a thin circle 15–18 cm in diameter. Drizzle the edges and surface with 1 tsp oil.
Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the edges dry out and the bottom turns golden, then flip with a spatula and cook for another 1–2 minutes until browned in spots. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the skillet each time.
Serve the besan chilla hot with mint-coriander chutney or another chutney of your choice.
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