Besan Chilla also known as besan cheela is a savory chickpea flour pancake that is vegan, high protein and perfect for breakfast or snack.
This is a really easy recipe. Comes together in less than 15 minutes. My kids love it. In fact, it is my older son's favorite breakfast option.
You can make it plain with just chickpea flour and spices or add some finely chopped or grated veggies.
You can also make a filling and serve it inside the pancake.
You may also like: Rava Dosa, Soft Idli Recipe, Medu Vada, Lauki Kofta, aloo tikki, tandoori mushrooms.
Ingredients for Making Besan ka Chilla
1. Besan or Chickpea flour: I get it store bought. It is easy to buy in Indian grocery stores or online.
2. Vegetables: Just basic onion, green chillies and cilantro leaves is what I use normally.
But one can easily add grated carrot, shredded spinach and finely chopped tomatoes.
3. Spices: Basic spices like chilli powder or cayenne, cumin seeds or carrom seeds, ginger garlic minced or paste and turmeric powder is all I use.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Besan Cheelas
1. Ensure that you mix the besan well to avoid having any lumps. Use good quality and fresh besan.
2. If you are planning to store the leftover besan batter then do not add any veggies to the batter.
Just add spices and form the batter with oil. Before cooking add finely chopped veggies and cook.
3. These get roasted very well on iron tawa or skillet. I cover it while cooking so that it gets cooked evenly while still staying crispy outside.
4. Chop the veggies finely to avoid large lumps in the crepe.
This batter is unfermented hence it very quick. Just mix and use.
5. Besan cheelas taste the best when hot. But you can make them ahead of time.
Allow them to cool completely and then store in air tight container. Microwave or heat on a skillet before serving.
Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.
Stepwise Pictures
Take 1 cup besan or chickpea flour in a shallow dish.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder or cayenne, salt, carrom seeds, minced ginger and garlic or paste.
Use water little by little and mix well till you get a lump free batter.
This batter is runny but not too thin.
Heat a skillet and brush with oil.
Add finely chopped veggies to the batter. I have used finely chopped onion, green chillies and chopped cilantro leaves here.
You can also add finely chopped tomato and other veggies like grated carrot or finely shredded spinach here.
Using a ladle, pour some cheela batter onto the medium hot skillet or tawa.
Spread it out as thin as possible.
Cover and cook one side till you see tiny bubbles on the surface and the batter gets cooked.
Remove the cover. Flip the chilla and cook more till the other side gets slightly browned.
Your crispy besan chilla is done. Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup. Enjoy.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Besan Cheela | Besan Chilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup besan chickpea flour
- ½ tsp. ajwain seeds carrom seeds or oregano
- ½ tsp. ginger paste or minced
- ½ tsp. garlic paste or minced
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 cup chopped veggies like onion tomato, mushroom etc.
- some finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
- ½ tsp. chilli powder or cayenne
- ½ tsp. Salt or to taste
- 2 tsp. Oil for frying
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Instructions
- Take 1 cup chickpea flour in a bowl. Add spices turmeric powder, cayenne, salt, carrom seeds, ginger garlic paste or minced.
- Add upto 1 cup water to form a smooth batter without lumps. Mix well.
- Now add finely chopped onion, green chilli and chopped cilantro leaves. You can also add other veggies like finely chopped tomato, grated carrot.
- Heat a tawa or a skillet Apply some oil on it. Now spread one or two ladles of batter on it. Spread it out to form a thin crepe.
- Cover and cook for a minute till you see bubbles forming on top and the cheela getting cooked.
- Using a flat spatula flip the cheela and cook on the other side till slightly browned.
- Your besan cheela is done.
- Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney. Enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure that you mix the besan well to avoid having any lumps. Use good quality and fresh besan.
- If you are planning to store the leftover besan batter then do not add any veggies to the batter. Just add spices and form the batter with oil. Before cooking add finely chopped veggies and cook.
- These get roasted very well on iron tawa or skillet. I cover it while cooking so that it gets cooked evenly while still staying crispy outside.
- Chop the veggies finely to avoid large lumps in the crepe.
- This batter is unfermented hence it very quick. Just mix and use.
- Besan cheelas taste the best when hot. But you can make them ahead of time. Allow them to cool completely and then store in air tight container. Microwave or heat on a skillet before serving.
- Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.
Nutrition
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Shilpa Garg says
I love cheelas. Mushrooms are a cool addition in your recipe. Will add them along with onions, capsicums and tomatoes.
Rachna says
Good to know. I love mushroom so much that I add them to everything. 🙂
inkingexpressions says
This is a homely dish which brings out childhood memories. It was long time after I started living alone that I tried my hands at cooking and gave this recipe a shot. Easy and quick breakfast for sure but takes some time to master the recipe completely though!
Rachna says
It is a simple recipe. Just remember to cook it at low and medium flame initially. Most people err there.
Shilpa Gupte says
Oh yes, my mother prepares this often...and I love it, too! Except that the besan can get a bit too much to digest. So, I use the split moong dal. We too add lots of veggies to it and it makes for a perfect breakfast/lunch menu. I make it for lunch/dinner if hubby's not home for either.
Rachna says
I have about 1.5 cheelas and that fills me up nicely. Yes, it does make for a nice meal when you are not in a mood to cook something more elaborate. 🙂
Shailaja V says
Is the consistency close to the south Indian Adai? And no fermenting etc, so this looks like something I can put together in the morning in a time crunch. I love mushrooms! Never realised it can go as a topping for cheelas or anything else dosa-like 😀 Only question, is the besan a bit heavy on the tummy? Or it's comfortable to eat for breakfast?
Rachna says
Yes, the consistency is close to that of adai. Yep, no fermenting, just mix and make. 🙂 This is really simple to give in the dabba. It tastes well even cold. I love mushroom too and add it to everything.
About besan being heavy, we are used to eating it regularly, yet my tummy gets filled in 1.5 cheelas. You could make it for breakfast over the weekend and see. I think for Gy one cheela will suffice. It is actually perfect for breakfast. Works for lunch too if you are feeling lazy.