Besan Cheela- Healthy Gluten free savory pancakes made with gram flour, vegetables and spices.
Besan Cheela or Besan Pudla is a traditional recipe which can be easily and quickly made with just few basic ingredients available in each and every pantry. Besan chela can be served for breakfast, Brunch and also good option to pack in lunch boxes.
The color andthe texture of besan chiila is similar to the omelette so is also popular as vegetarian omelette. Traditionally it is made with gram flour and spices only but I like to add finely chopped vegetables in it to make it more healthier and light to digest. I like to add the chopped vegetable in the batter so it not only taste good but also spread easily.
You can also add the vegetables on top of the chilla like uttapam if you want. Both way it work fine.
This is my favorite breakfast recipe when I want to make some thing quick, healthy and delicious for the family. I add what ever vegetables i have in the refrigerator.
How To make Besan Cheela/pudla and few tips
For making Besan chilla the main ingredient you need is obviously Besan/ Gram flour 🙂 and then just few basic Indian spice. First of all you have to mix the gram flour and water and make a smooth medium thick batter and then cover and let it rest for 15 minutes minimum.
The amount of water added in the batter depends on the quality of besan and the quantity of vegetables we are adding in the batter. The chopped vegetables will also release some water so don't add too much water initially, can add later if needed.
Now Mix all the spices and finely chopped vegetables in the batter. I finely chopped the vegetable in my vegetable chopper so either use a chopper, grater or chop very finely with knife. Don't add big pieces of vegetables else you will not be able to spread the chilla/ pudla thinly and properly.
Do add ajwain/ carom seeds , asafoetida and ginger as Gram flour is quite heavy to digest and these ingredients helps in easy digestion.
The batter of besan cheela should be of smooth flowing consistency. Don't make it thick else it will not become soft and become quite heavy to digest. You can add any vegetable or greens of your choice in the batter or just make plain cheela.
Cook it from both the sides with ghee, butter or oil or can make oil free by using a non stick pan. It can be served with chutney ,ketchup or any tangy dip of your choice.
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