Chilla Pancake From Chapatti Flour and Semolina Mix
Atta aur Sooji ka Namkeen Chilla
Geeta Gupta
This pancake recipe uses up the left over spices at the bottom of your pickle jar, any pickle jar. If you do not have left overs, chop up any pickle of choice and use some of the oil from it. Any oil based Indian pickle is fine, here I have used some oil and spices from Garlic Pickle. Makes 8 pancakes
You can serve it with a filling of choice, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, dosa style. Made smaller, they can be served as a starter.
Edited November 2013
Ingredients
For Batter
1 cup chapatti atta (light, wholemeal flour)-You can replace half of this with besan or Bengal gram flour)
1/3 cup semolina
2-3 tsp. spices and oil from a pickle of choice (use chopped up pickle, if you do not have enough oil in your pickle)
Salt to taste
A large pinch of baking powder
1-2 tbsp. dry methi leaves*, washed and soaked in a little water or use 1/2 cup of fresh methi leaves, finely chopped. You can replace these with any grated vegetables like courgettes, carrots, cabbage or cauliflower.
Warm water
For cooking
A griddle or tava, round ladle and a flat spatula
Oil to cook
Optional extras, one or two or all of them; 1 small onion, finely chopped, 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped, a handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped (if adding coriander leaves, leave fenugreek leaves* out)
Instructions
Place all batter ingredients, except water, in a bowl. Add water slowly, beating with a fork, until you have a batter of dropping consistency. Make sure it is not too thick, or it will be difficult to spread. Leave it aside for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour. If it looks thick at the end of this, add a little more water.
Heat tava/griddle. Coat with a film of oil. Sprinkle a few drops of water. It will sizzle and help the oil to make an even film on the surface.
Pour 1 1/2-2 ladles. of batter in the centre and spread it outwards with a circular motion, until all batter spread out thinly. It is worth making the first chilla small, so you know how much batter your griddle will take to make a thin pancake.
Drizzle some oil around the edges and on top, cover with a lid.
After a few minutes, lift lid off. The edges should begin to turn brown. Gently slide the spatula under it, freeing the whole pancake from the griddle. Turn it over.
Cook the other side too, until a little crisp, see pictures.
Serve hot with Tomato chutney and/or pickles of choice.
