Pakistani Chickpea Flour Pancakes (Besan Cheela)

About This Recipe

Besan cheela is a common Pakistani breakfast, made from besan (chickpea flour) whisked into a thin, pourable batter with onion, tomato, green chile and a handful of spices, then cooked on a hot griddle much like a savory crepe. Because chickpea flour is naturally gluten-free and high in protein, cheela is often the go-to quick breakfast in households looking for something more substantial than toast but faster than a full curry. The batter comes together in minutes, but getting the consistency right -- thin enough to spread easily, thick enough to hold together while flipping -- takes a little practice; most home cooks add water gradually rather than all at once. Chopped tomato and onion folded directly into the batter, rather than cooked down first, give the finished cheela little pockets of fresh, slightly juicy vegetables against the earthy chickpea base. Cooked with a drizzle of oil until the edges turn golden and lightly crisp while the center stays soft, cheela is typically served hot off the griddle with mint chutney or plain yogurt, making it a fast, protein-rich start to the day across Pakistani homes.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsbesan (chickpea flour)
• 1.25 cupswater(or as needed)
• 1small onion(finely diced)
• 1tomato(finely diced)
• 1green chile(finely chopped)
• 0.5 tspground cumin
• 0.25 tspground turmeric
• 0.25 tspred chile powder
• 0.25 tspajwain (carom seeds)(optional)
• 0.75 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 cupcilantro(chopped)
• 3 tbspoil(for cooking)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Whisk besan with water gradually until you have a smooth, lump-free, pourable batter about the thickness of pancake batter.

2. 2

   Add the vegetables

   Stir in onion, tomato, green chile, cumin, turmeric, chile powder, ajwain, salt and cilantro until evenly combined.

3. 3

   Rest the batter

   Let the batter rest 10 minutes so the besan hydrates fully and the flavors settle.

4. 4

   Heat the griddle

   Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with oil.

5. 5

   Cook the cheela

   Pour a ladleful of batter onto the griddle and spread into a thin round with the back of the ladle. Drizzle a little oil around the edges.

   Spread the batter in one smooth circular motion -- going back over it makes the cheela uneven and prone to tearing.

6. 6

   Flip and finish

   Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the edges lift and turn golden, then flip and cook 2 more minutes on the other side.

7. 7

   Serve hot

   Serve immediately with mint chutney or plain yogurt while still warm and crisp at the edges.

Variations

• •

  Add grated carrot or finely chopped spinach to the batter for extra vegetables.

• •

  Cheese cheela: sprinkle shredded cheese over the top right after flipping so it melts into the surface.

• •

  Spicier: double the green chile and add a pinch of ground black pepper for extra heat.

Storage

Cheela batter keeps covered in the fridge up to 2 days; stir well and thin with a little water before using. Cooked cheela is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days and reheated in a dry skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions