Besan Chillah

According to "ayurveda" all foods are divided into 3 categories "rajasik", "tamasik" and "saatvik". It is believed that the food we eat, decides the quality of our minds and even health of our bodies. Saatvik food consists of lightly cooked vegetables with bare minimum spices, fruits, nuts, honey, milk and milk products. Jain cuisine follows saatvik cooking and certain foods like potatoes, ginger, onions & garlic are strictly prohibited.

Chillah is basically a Rajasthani recipe. I have modified my mother's recipe of soru chakli, a type of pancake prepared with wheat (atta). and she used to call it "gola roti", meaning wheat flour (atta) batter made with water. I changed the dish by adding flour (maida) & besan sometimes adding chopped vegetables.

Here is the recipe for Besan Chillah, good & nutritious and also helps in reducing body fat...Instead of plain roti / chappati, one can take Besan Chillah during lunch / dinner time.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup wheat flour (atta)
• 2 cups grated paneer
• 1 large capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 bunch cilantro / coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
• 1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 1- � tsp salt (to taste)
• a pinch of red chilli powder
• white oil, for frying
• water (as per requirement)

Procedure:

1. Sieve besan, flour & atta. Add turmeric, caraway seeds, salt and red chili powder. Mix well.
2. Slowly add water and blend to form a smooth batter or until you get the right consistency (ensure there is no lumps, you can even strain the whole mixture once).
3. Take a non-stick frying pan and heat 2-3 drops of white oil. Spread & coat all over the base with a wooden spatula including the side of the pan. When the oil is hot, reduce heat and pour a ladle full of batter in the middle.
4. Spread the batter in a circular motion by tilting the pan or by spreading with the back of a wooden spatula to form the chillah.
5. Sprinkle a little chopped capsicum & coriander leaves and grated paneer on the pancake.
6. Let it set (you will know when the bottom is set by seeing the colour change).
7. Flip the chillah to the other side. Add a little oil and toast till done. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve hot.

Besan Chillah is going to the following events:

• A simple dish, going to RCI-Jain Cuisine, guest hosted by PJ, event started by Lakshmi...
• I love the pleasant & warm yellow colour of the Besan Chillahs, this is also going to FIC-Favourite, guest hosted by Sweath, event started by Sunshinemom.
• The Besan Chillah with caraway seeds is also going to Think Spice - Think Caraway Seeds, guest hosted by Sathya of Appetite Treats...
• My Favourite Things-Cheese, guest hosted by Poornima of Tasty Treats, event started by Bhindiya..

Chillah

Chillah is basically a type of pancake. In West Bengal, soru chakli / pati sapta are traditional pancakes and are taken as a sweet dish.

My mother used to make soru chakli with wheat (atta) and she used to call it "gola roti", meaning wheat batter made with water. She used to add salt but not turmeric, spread the batter in a flat bottomed tawa and fry like a dosa. The final roti looked wheatish and was eaten with fried vegetables / curry.

I changed the dish by adding some other ingredients like flour & besan with chopped vegetables (you can add vegetables as per your choice or prepare the Chillah with wheat, flour & besan only).

I make Chillah in a non-stick flat botomed frying pan so that very little oil is required.

Chillah is very nutritous and with the added vegetables it becomes a meal on its own.

My mother used to serve this with Sukki Bhaji (Sukha Bhaji) which is my father's favourite dish from Nagpur.

I'll state the recipe of Sukki Bhaji in the next post.

As a Bloggermom, I came to know that today is International Pancake Day.

So I decided to write the recipe and post in the site. You can check the recipe for Chillah with step by step pictures by clicking here.