Golden and savoury, with besan for structure and little millet for softness. Amchur and ajwain give it the sharp edge a good chilla needs.
Ingredients
From the TrooFoodz pantry
Fresh
- Besan (gram flour) ¾ cup
- Onion, finely chopped 1
- Tomato, deseeded and chopped 1
- Green chillies, finely chopped 2
- Coriander leaves, chopped 3 tbsp
- Ajwain (carom seeds) ½ tsp
- Amchur (dry mango powder) ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
- Groundnut oil 3 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Method
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Sift and mix
Whisk Sprouted Little Millet Flour and besan together dry first — besan clumps badly if water goes in unevenly.
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Build the batter
Add water gradually, beating until smooth and pourable, then whisk hard for thirty seconds to aerate it.
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Fold in vegetables
Stir through onion, tomato, chilli, coriander, ajwain, amchur, turmeric and salt.
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Rest briefly
Give it ten minutes so the besan loses its raw, chalky note and the millet flour softens.
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Cook on medium
Spread a thin round on a hot oiled tawa. Besan browns fast, so keep the flame at medium rather than high.
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Flip once
When the surface looks dry and the edges lift, drizzle oil, flip, and press lightly for a minute until both sides are golden.
Why this works
Besan brings protein and a natural binding power that compensates for the millet flour's lack of gluten, so the chilla holds together at the flip. Amchur's acidity balances the earthiness of both flours. Whisking air into the batter gives a slightly open crumb rather than a dense, leathery pancake.
Make it your own
- Sprouted Little Millet Flour → Sprouted Jowar Flour Firmer chilla with a crisper edge.
- Amchur → 1 tsp lemon juice Fresher sourness; add it at the end of mixing.
- Tomato → Grated carrot Sweeter and drier, so the batter stays thick.
