Besan Cheela

Besan Cheela vegetarian recipe

Besan Cheela are savory, thin pancakes made from chickpea flour. They make a great quick breakfast or light meal and come together really fast.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
  • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 0.5 green chili
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups besan (chickpea flour), 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder, 0.5 teaspoon red chili powder, 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida (hing), 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain), and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir these dry ingredients together well.
  2. Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion. Wash and finely chop 1 medium tomato. Wash and finely chop 0.5 green chili. Wash and finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves. Peel and finely grate 1 inch ginger.
  3. Add the chopped 1 medium onion, 1 medium tomato, 0.5 green chili, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, and grated 1 inch ginger to the besan mixture. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Gradually add 1.5 cups water to the mixture, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. The batter should be smooth and have a pouring consistency, similar to pancake batter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Heat a flat non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with a small amount of cooking oil.
  6. Pour about 0.5 cup of batter onto the hot pan. Quickly spread it outwards in a circular motion to form a thin, round pancake about 6-7 inches in diameter.
  7. Drizzle 0.5 teaspoon of cooking oil around the edges and over the top of the cheela. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges start to lift and the top looks cooked.
  8. Flip the cheela and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side until it's golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly oiling the pan before each cheela.
  9. Serve the Besan Cheela hot. Garnish each cheela with a small sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves and serve with your favorite chutney or yogurt.

View the interactive Besan Cheela recipe