Besan chilla also known as besan ka chilla, besan cheela or gram flour dosa is made with chickpea flour, onions, tomatoes, spices. Besan chilla batter is made in an instant and it is high in protein which makes it a perfect high protein breakfast option. Typically it is served with green chutney or tamarind chutney. But I like to serve it with Sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney or onion chutney. Learn how to make crispy besan chilla recipe with step by step instructions pictures and video.
Besan chilla
I love instant foods, because it makes life so easy and helps make yummy dish fast. Thinking about instant recipes, the first thing which comes to my mind is dosas. Amma makes a huge container of dosa batter ready all day in the fridge so she can whip up some hot ghee roast, paper roast or uttapam etc in no time.
Jump to:
I make variety of instant dosas at home using different flour. Some of the most loved instant dosa recipes are rava dosa, wheat dosa and ragi dosa. This dosa is my latest obsession, hubby constantly ask for high protein breakfast options and this is one of that instant variety high protein recipe.
About Besan Chilla (cheela)
Besan, gram flour or chickpea flour is a pulse flour made from ground chickpeas. Gram flour, also known as chickpea flour, is a nutty, earthy-flavored flour. It is naturally gluten free. It is a common ingredient in Indian cuisines and used across Bangladeshi, Burmese,Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Caribbean cuisines. Some Popular dishes made using besan are bajji, pakoras and kadhi pakora.
Besan chilla also known as besan ka cheela, chilla, gram flour dosa, gram flour crepe or even chickpea chilla. This is made with gram flour, onions, tomatoes and other spices. There is no particular recipe for this dish. You can customise this as per your requirement.
Some people like to mix wheat flour (atta) in the batter to make it more crispy. You can add chopped vegetables, ajwain, coriander leaves and other spices to the batter. Besan cheela can be stuffed with variety of stuffings including paneer, mixed vegetables, egg, chicken or even cheese.
Besan chilla is a popular Rajasthani breakfast dish. Typically it is served with green chutney or tamarind chutney. But I like to serve it with Sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney or onion chutney. The meal was so good and I couldn’t stop myself from eating it. Everyone loved it specially my kids.
Similar Recipes,
Watch Besan Chilla Video
Besan chilla Ingredients
Gram flour - use the finest quality gram flour for best taste and crispy texture. If your gram flour is lumpy, sieve it through a fine sifter.
Onions and tomatoes - make sure your finely chop onions and tomatoes before mixing into the batter.
Green chilli - chop chillies finely and add into the batter for spicy taste.
Coriander leaves and curry leaves - make sure you add lots of fresh coriander leaves and curry leaves for the fresh taste.
Spice powders - I used a mix of turmeric, chilli and cumin powder for the fresh spicy taste.
Ginger - one of the main flavouring, grate ginger and add into the batter.
Asafoetida - it helps with digestion and adds aroma.
Tips for Besan Chilla Taste to Better
Quality - Make sure you use finest quality which makes a whole lot of difference.
Sieve the flour - gram flour or besan tends to have lumps, so sieve it first before making batter.
Add ons- onions, tomatoes, chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves are main add ons in the chilla batter.
Batter consistency - make sure the batter is at the right consistency. The batter shouldn’t be too thick or too thin. Just the right consistency makes the dosa crispy.
Oil or ghee - cooking the chilla in ghee gives lots of flavour to the dosa.
How to Make Besan Chilla (Stepwise Pictures)
Making Chilli Batter
1)Take gram flour in a bowl, if your gram flour is lumpy, you can sieve it once.
2)Add in spice powders. I am using chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and turmeric powder.
3)Add in asafoetida and cumin seeds. Instead of cumin seeds you can use ajwain as well.
4)Now add in finely chopped onions and tomatoes into the flour mixture.
5)Add in green chillies and grated ginger.
6)Add in chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.
7)Add in salt to taste.
8)Mix well so the ingredients is mixed.
9)Add in water and mix to a smooth batter. The batter consistency is important, make sure the batter is not too thick or too thin.
Making Besan Chilla
10)Take a ladle of batter and make dosa. When spreading dosa, if you find it hard or the batter is not evenly spreading. Add some extra water and mix.
11)Spread dosa batter on a hot tawa thinly.
12)Drizzle oil around the sides and cook on medium heat.
13)Let it get golden brown on the base.
14)Flip over and cook for few more minutes. Serve hot with chutney.
Variations
Wheat besan chilla - sometimes making chilli only with besan flour can be overpowering for many. So add some wheat flour to make it slightly different.
Stuffed chilla - Besan cheela can be stuffed with variety of stuffings including paneer, mixed vegetables, egg, chicken or even cheese.
Crispy chilla - for extra crispy chilla, add either ½ cup of rice flour or ¼ cup of sooji to the batter.
Expert Tips
- Sieve gram flour if it is lumpy. Also use best quality gram flour.
- Once the batter is mixed. Let it rest for 10 minutes before making dosa.
- Make sure the batter is not too thick or too thin. If the batter is too thick then the dosa will be thicker and chewier.
- Don’t skip asafoetida and ginger which helps with digestion.
Storage and Serving
Typically it is served with green chutney or tamarind chutney. But I like to serve it with Sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney or onion chutney.
Leftover besan chilla batter can be stored in an air tight container in fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
More Dosa Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Besan Chilla Recipe | Besan Ka Cheela Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Besan | Gram Flour
- 1 medium Onion finely chopped
- 1 medium Tomato finely chopped
- 2 no Green Chillies finely chopped
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp Asafoetida
- 1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup Coriander Leaves chopped
- 2 sprig Curry leaves
- 2 tsp Salt
- 3 to 4 cups Water as needed to make a batter
- 3 tbsp Oil or Ghee for cooking dosa
Instructions
- Mix everything given in the list except oil in a mixing bowl. Add enough water so that it forms into dosa batter consistency. Make sure the batter is at the right consistency. The batter shouldn’t be too thick or too thin. Just the right consistency makes the dosa crispy.
- Heat a tawa. Pour a ladleful of batter over that and make a slightly thin dosa.Drizzle oil around the sides. Cook for 1 min on one side and flip over and cook on other side too. Drizzle some more oil if needed. Cook till it gets crispy.
- Serve hot with chutney and eat it immediately, because it is best had piping hot.
Video
Notes
- Sieve gram flour if it is lumpy. Also use best quality gram flour.
- Once the batter is mixed. Let it rest for 10 minutes before making dosa.
- Make sure the batter is not too thick or too thin. If the batter is too thick then the dosa will be thicker and chewier.
- Don’t skip asafoetida and ginger which helps with digestion.
Storage and Serving
Typically it is served with green chutney or tamarind chutney. But I like to serve it with Sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney or onion chutney. Leftover besan chilla batter can be stored in an air tight container in fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook,Pinterest ,Youtube for more Yummy Tummy inspiration.
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR ANYTHING FROM YUMMY TUMMY, MAKE SURE TO POST IT AND TAG ME SO I CAN SEE ALL OF YOUR CREATIONS!! #YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI AND @YUMMYTUMMYAARTHI ON INSTAGRAM!
vidhas
Yummy and crispy dosa. Never made dosa with gram flour, quick recipe.
Hema
They look so easy to make, love your pictorial presentation dear..
faseela
lovely pan cakes.....superb
Archana
Yeeeees! I am first.
Great cheela dear.love it
Vijitha
Looks delicious!
Poonam Borkar
Awesome..delicious looking pancakes..
Harini
good one!
Priya
Interesting besan ka cheela,would love with some spicy chutney.
Az
That looks so inviting and mouthwatering... love it!
The Pumpkin Farm
this is a life saver recipe, quick n handy
சிநேகிதி
தோசை சாம்பார் சட்னியுடன் சுவையாக இருக்கு
ABD
wow...nice recipe....
ashcooking.blogspot.com
Curry and Comfort
I love gram flour!! These look delicious and great! Have a great weekend!! ~ Ramona
maha
looks so tasty and delicious dear..tastes good with peanut chutney
Mamatkamal
I feel I'm gonna learn a lot from you my friend! You're a great cook! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers
Sobha Shyam
have heard of these dosa, never tried though..looks delicious..
Sayali
This is more or less like a Tomato Omlete except there are no tomatoes :).. Looks great. I add tomatoes to it and have omletes 🙂
Nalini's Kitchen
Delicious,filling and healthy dosa...
Kala
This remembers me my mom she used to prepare this yummy dosas..Thanks for sahring the recipe
The Yogi Vegetarian
These are some of my favourite snacks ever! I have posted my own version on my blog, which adds cheese and vegetables, but yours looks so tasty I shall try it for sure!
Srivalli
Very nice and healthy..makes a great dish for those quick times right..
Smitha
yum and instant breakfast!
meena
oh dear.. u have been putting all my mom's dishes. my mom doesnt eat onion garlic but we do make same thing. instead of coriander powder mom uses whole coriander seeds. rest almost same. we call it gaarari.. this can be had with chapati too. we are not rajasthanis but some of the recipes you posted we make same too but with few variations.. we have temple at nathdwara..
Home Cooked Oriya Food
heathy filling breakfast...
Gayathri Kumar
Nice delicious dosas...
Cool Lassi(e)
Great yummy crepe!
Athisaya Divya
Delicious n healthy dosai..
Pushpa
Fantastic substitution to an egg omelette.
simplehomefood
Kalyani's Platter
Yummy & delicious breakfast ..
Kalpana Sareesh
this is in my do list but missed making it.. it looks so yumm n quick dish..
@lekshmi
delicious and healthy pancakes............
Helene Dsouza
yummy yummy!
Tina
Delicious post!
Treat and Trick
Looks yummy and love the way you've prepared them!
Deeps @ Naughty Curry
very nice recipe! a nice twist when im bored of regular dosas
Angie's Recipes
The chickpea pancakes look super delicious!
Beth
This sounds delicious and convenient!
Loveforfood
Wow. I am literally drooling over these pictures!
Viki's Kitchen
Looks yummy and delicious dear.
Gloria
love these wheat flour pancakes! look amazing!!!
veena krishnakumar
Am in awe of your pictorials!!!Lokks great
Lizzy
Oh, boy, I've never seen these before, but definitely looking delicious!
Sayantani
what a beautiful snack for breakfast.
the Junkie book
wow those pancakes with chutney can be a relishing breakfast for me!
funny your comment came in my inbox but not in my blog. am lodging a complaint with Blogger!! thanks for dropping by!
Umm Mymoonah
Spicy and yummy! A must try recipe.
A Kamalika Krishmy
Vegetarian version of Omlette sans veggies.. looks good
divya
Mouthwatering here, wat a terrific and super tempting...
Athisaya Divya
Healthy and protein packed crepes 🙂
Sushweta Chakraborty
Your pictorial presentation is very well done & very user friendly.
Anonymous
Omg omg ..u became the super woman of my life..I learnt a lot from ur pictorial presentation.. Thnq thnq soo mch ..I can't express my emotions.. N plz continue this great job to change many kitchn disasters ( like me) in nice chef
Indian Restaurant
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I look forward to trying it out...
Indian Restaurants in South Campus
Indian Restaurant
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I look forward to trying it out...
Indian Restaurants in South Campus