What on earth is a chilla?! I kept asking myself this question. I have seen so many people talk about chillas/cheelas/pudlas on social media. It seems to be a very popular breakfast in India amongst celebrities and health nuts. It’s also more popular in North India, which explains why my South Indian self had not heard of it till recently.

I just had to investigate. It’s basically an “eggless” omelette. Just like an omelette, this breakfast is super simple and quite healthy. Of course, I had to make it slightly unhealthy by adding cheese. Hehe.

The most common type of chilla/cheela/pudla is made with besan. However, some make it with sooji/rava instead or even oats. I came up with my own version that includes half besan and half roasted sooji/rava. I chose this option because I am not a big fan of the taste of besan on it’s own. But, I love the taste of rava! Note: I have tried this recipe with both regular and roasted rava. It works either way but tastes way better with roasted rava!

My version of this popular, fast vegetarian breakfast includes Broccoli & Cheese. You could however use any veggies of your choosing and omit the cheese if you prefer. But, just a little tastes absolutely yum! 🙂

Broccoli & Cheese Chilla

Recipe by Chaitra KCuisine: Indian, North Indian

Servings

4

servings

Prep Time

5

minutes

Cooking Time

5

minutes

Calories

180

kcal

Resting Time

20

minutes

Total Time

30

minutes

Eggless “omelettes” made with besan/chickpea flour and rava/sooji (cream of wheat), with Broccoli & Cheese mixed in

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup besan/ gram flour

• 1/2 cup roasted rava/sooji

• 1/4 thick yogurt (Check out how to make homemade yogurt here.)

• 1.5 cups water

• 1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1/4 tsp red chili powder

• Salt to taste

• 1/2 small yellow onion (finely diced)

• 1/4 cup broccoli (very finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor)

• 2 tbsp shredded/grated cheese ( I used Mozzarella)

• Oil

Instructions

• Combine 1/2 cup besan/gram flour, 1/2 cup roasted rava/sooji, and 1/4 cup thick yogurt in a bowl.
• Add 1 cup water and mix well. Add little bits of the water at a time and use a whisk to beat out any lumps. Once you have a smooth mixture, let it sit for 20 min.
• Then, add about 1/2 cup more water. The batter should have a flowing, pourable consistency.
• Once you are satisfied with the consistency of the batter, it is time to add the spices. Add 1/2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp red chili powder, and salt to taste. Mix well.
• Then, add in 1/2 small yellow onion (finely diced), 1/4 cup broccoli (very finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor), and 2 tbsp shredded/grated cheese (I used mozzarella).
• Now, it is time to make the chilla. Heat up a cast iron pan at a medium flame.
• Once the pan is hot, smear a bit of oil on the pan.
• Then, reduce the flame and pour the chilla batter. Use a cup or a scoop to pour a thick, medium sized circle.
• Increase the flame back to a medium flame. Sprinkle some oil around the edges of the chill and then let it cook.
• After a minute or two, flip the chilla. Let the other side cook for another minute (still at a medium flame).
• Then, take off flame and serve hot with mint chutney or ketchup! 🙂

Notes

• I have tried this recipe with both regular and roasted rava. It works either way but I think tastes way better with roasted rava!
• You could add any veggies of your choice to this recipe. I chose to focus on Broccoli. Other veggies that would taste great include: tomatoes, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
• There are many versions of this recipe. This is my tried and true version that I came up with.  I hope you love it!
• Vegan Option: Use Vegan yogurt to add thickness to this batter. Also, omit cheese or replace with Vegan cheese.

Did you make this recipe?

I hope you all try this recipe out! I would love to see your own adventures in cooking! Please take a pic and share them with me on Instagram/Facebook @chaitrascreations.