Amp up your Besan Chilla with these variations

Besan chilla is a savoury crepe prepared from seasoned gram flour batter. This traditional Indian snack is extremely versatile and customizable according to your tastes and preferences. Furthermore, you do not have to be an experienced cook to pull off a plate of delicious besan chilla.

This flexibility, ease of making, and instant gratification are what makes besan chilla so wildly popular. Pair these qualities with the fact that besan chilla helps weight loss, making it the ultimate food item for everyone!

Classic Besan Chilla Recipes

Whether you are looking for a quick snack or besan chilla for weight loss, here is an awesome recipe to get the perfect besan chilla at all times:

Ingredients

To make six medium-sized besan chillas, you will need:

• A cup of finely ground Bengal gram flour/chickpea flour (besan)
• One small onion
• One small tomato
• A quarter cup of coriander leaves
• One green chilli
• Two teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• Half a teaspoon of carrom seeds (ajwain)
• A teaspoon of turmeric
• Half a teaspoon of red chilli powder
• Half to 2/3rd cups of water
• Salt as per taste
• Oil, as and when required

Procedure

1. Start by finely chopping all the vegetables, namely onion, tomato, coriander leaves, and green chilli. On the other side, transfer the besan to a mixing bowl.
2. Add the vegetables to the besan along with your spices, seasoning, and ginger-garlic paste.
3. Pour in a little water and mix everything together. Keep adding some water a little at a time while also whisking it to prevent the formation of any lumps.
4. Continue adding the water until it has a smooth, batter-like consistency. If it is still too thick, add more water. If it has become too runny, add some besan.
5. Heat a skillet on a low flame and grease it slightly with some oil. A non-stick tawa is perfect for cutting down besan chilla calories due to oil.
6. Once the skillet is hot, take a ladle-full of besan chilla batter and pour it over the surface. Spread it out lightly while applying gentle pressure to ensure that the chillas don’t break.
7. Let it cook for a couple of minutes until the top looks cooked. For faster cooking, you may cover the chilla. For crispier edges drizzle some oil around the chilla.
8. After a while, the edges will start turning golden-brown. Gently lift the edges and flip it over to cook on the other side.
9. Cook it for a few hours until you see golden spots forming on your besan chilla. Once done, take it off the flame and pour on the batter for the next one.
10. Serve hot!

Nutritional Value

A single piece of besan chilla contains:

5 Variations of Besan Chilla

Here are a few besan chilla recipes to spice up your regular besan chilla and give it a new avatar:

Tomato Besan Chilla

Tomato besan chilla, also known as “pure veg omelette,” is loaded with tomatoes. It has that extra tanginess that you can get with extra tomato chunks or even tomato puree.

Palak Chilla

Give your besan chilla an iron-laden boost with some spinach. You may chop some spinach, wilt it, and add it to the batter. Alternatively, you can blanch spinach, puree it, and add it to the chilla mixture for an interesting green shade.

Multigrain Besan Chilla

Just because it is besan chilla does not necessarily mean that you only have to use besan. Try adding a few other elements such as moong for healthfulness, sooji/rava for a crunchy texture, and oats flour for extra fibre.

Paneer-Stuffed Besan Chilla

Grate some paneer and keep it on the side. When you are cooking the second side of your besan chilla, sprinkle some paneer on the top and roll it in. You can even add some extra seasoning.

Veggie Besan Chilla

You can cut down on besan chilla calories by loading it up with vegetables around your house. Anything from grated potatoes and carrots to roughly chopped broccoli works in this situation! Make the best use of the produce lying around your kitchen.