Mom's Chickpea Flour Pancakes
This is my Mom’s chilla recipe. It is also known as pudla. The classic Indian pancake made with chickpea flour is a popular breakfast in North India. These chillas in the simplest form are easy and perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a side flatbread. For a veggie omelet version, add less water for a thicker batter and add leavening such as baking powder. Add finely chopped vegetables such as zucchini.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour, garbanzo bean flour, or besan
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds or cumin seeds
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 hot green chile, finely chopped (remove seeds to reduce heat)
- ¼ cup packed chopped cilantro
- 1 to 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon safflower oil, divided
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour and ¾ cup water. Whisk to get a smooth consistency. Whisk in another ½ to ¾ cup water to make a thin lump-free batter. (If using besan, you will need less water).
- Add the salt, turmeric, cayenne, carom seeds, onion, chile, cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of oil, and mix well. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, drizzle a few drops of oil on the skillet. Spread the oil using a paper towel. Pour a ladle full (¼ to ⅓ cup) of the batter onto the skillet. Spread the batter by moving the skillet to make a 6 to 8-inch pancake. Drizzle a few drops of oil on the edges of the pancake.
- Cook until the edges start to leave the pan and the bottom is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Continue to make the rest of the pancakes. Serve hot.
Notes
Recipe from Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen, Copyright © 2015 by Richa Hingle. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.