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aerial shot of besan ka chilla stacked on a steel platter
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5 from 2 votes

Besan Chilla Recipe

This is an excellent low-calorie, vegetarian, and gluten-free besan chilla recipe. Learn to make Indian besan cheela two ways.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 351kcal
Author: Hina Gujral

Equipment

Ingredients

Ingredients For Chilla Batter

  • 1 Cup Gram Flour (Besan)
  • ¼ Cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
  • 1 Cup Water (lukewarm)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Teaspoon ginger paste
  • ½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 Teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 Teaspoon cumin powder

Ingredients For Chilla Filling:

  • ¼ Cup sweet corn
  • ¼ Cup cabbage, shredded
  • ¼ Cup finely chopped bell pepper
  • ¼ Cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 Tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Teaspoon Chaat Masala
  • 1 Teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ Teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ Cup green chutney (see recipe)
  • ¼ Cup tomato ketchup
  • 1 Cup paneer (cottage cheese), grated
  • ½ Cup grated cheese (parmesan or cheddar)

Other Ingredient:

  • ¼ Cup ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions

Prepare Besan Chilla Batter

  • In a mixing bowl combine rice and grame flour. Mix nicely. Add ¼ - ½ Cup lukewarm water at a time and whisk the batter. Keep whisking the batter till it is silky smooth, lump free, and of dropping consistency. Let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes at room temperature.
  • After resting time, add the seasoning, ¼ cup more water and again whisk the batter to combine all the ingredients. The chilla batter is ready.

Prepare Chilla Filling:

  • Combine all the vegetables, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix nicely. Taste and add more seasoning if required. The filling for chilla is ready.

Besan Chilla - Style 1

  • Heat a heavy bottom, thick pan over high heat. Once the hot fumes start coming from the pan, sprinkle water, let water evaporate, and wipe the excess water from the pan.
  • Take a ladle full of chilla batter and spread it like a dosa or thin crepe in the hot pan. Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee on the edges of the chilla. Let it cook. Do not flip.
  • Spread a teaspoon each of green chutney and tomato ketchup on the chilla. Add 2 tablespoons of filling, 2 tablespoon of grated paneer, and 1 tablespoon of grated cheese. Press the stuffing gently using a spatula.
  • Once the chilla is crisp, fold it into a half and serve immediatley.

Besan Chilla - Style 2

  • Once the chilla batter and filling are ready, combine them. Whisk the batter and add more water to get a spoon dropping smooth consistency.
  • Heat a heavy bottom, thick pan over high heat. Brush the pan with a teaspoon of ghee.
  • Take a ladle full of chilla batter and spread it on the pan like a pancake. It is slightly thick and uneven. Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee on chilla, cover it with a lid, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes over medium heat.
  • Remove the lid, flip the chilla, and cook from other side for 10 - 20 seconds. Serve Besan Chilla immediately with chutney and ketchup.

Video

Notes

Batter: The chilla batter should be silky smooth, lump-free, and of thick spoon dropping consistency. I use 1 Cup of water to get the desired consistency. If the batter seems too thick add more water as gram flour absorbs a lot of water. 
Resting: Let the batter rest for 10 - 15 minutes before making the chilla. 
Pan: Try to use a thick, heavy bottom pan for making the chilla. Make sure the pan is hot before adding the batter. 
Chilla Style 1: If you are making dosa-style chilla DO NOT grease the pan with oil. Sprinkle water and wipe it clean. No need to flip the chilla. 
Chilla Style 2: After adding the vegetables if the batter seems too thick, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of water to get the spoon dropping consistency. 

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 766IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 272mg | Iron: 2mg