Besan Cheela (बेसन चीला)
A savoury chickpea-flour pancake, batter-thin and lacy at the edges, studded with onion, tomato, and green chilli — vegan, gluten-free, ready in twenty minutes.
Cuisine: North Indian (Punjab / North India) · Style: Light · Protein: Lentils · Total time: · Difficulty: easy · Servings: 3 · Spice: 2/5
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups besan (gram flour)
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp oil for cooking
- Green coriander chutney to serve
Steps
- Whisk besan with water until completely smooth. The batter should be the consistency of single cream — pourable but not watery.
- Stir in onion, tomato, green chilli, ginger, coriander, turmeric, ajwain, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and salt.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes — this lets the besan hydrate and the spices bloom.
- Heat a non-stick tawa over medium. Brush with oil.
- Pour a ladle of batter and spread thin in concentric circles. Drizzle a little oil around the edges.
- Cook 2 minutes until the underside is golden and the top has set. Flip and cook 1 more minute.
- Serve hot with green chutney. Repeat with remaining batter.