Oats Besan Chilla
- 10 min prep
- 40 min
- Pan-fry
- Serves 2
- 365 kcal
- 12 g protein
Thin, golden oats chilla made from ground oats and besan, studded with onion, tomato and capsicum. One bowl, no soaking, and a hot tawa in 40 minutes start to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) quick oats
- ½ cup (45 g) besan (gram flour)
- About 1¼ cups (300 ml) water
- ½ medium onion (50 g), finely chopped
- 1 small tomato (60 g), deseeded and finely chopped
- ¼ capsicum (30 g), finely chopped
- ¼ cup (30 g) carrot, grated
- 1 green chilli (4 g), finely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- Salt, to taste (about ½ tsp)
- 4 tsp (20 ml) oil, for cooking
Method
- 1Grind the oats to a fine powder in a dry mixer jar. Tip into a bowl with the besan, ajwain (rubbed between your palms), turmeric, chilli powder and salt.
- 2Pour in 1 cup water gradually, whisking, until the batter is smooth with no lumps of besan. Rest for 10 minutes.
- 3The oats will have thickened the batter. Whisk in more water until it pours easily, like dosa batter, then stir in the onion, tomato, capsicum, carrot, green chilli and coriander.
- 4Heat a non-stick or cast-iron tawa on medium. Grease it lightly with a few drops of oil.
- 5Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it outward in circles to a round about 7 inches (18 cm) wide. Keep it thin, but do not worry about small gaps.
- 6Drizzle ½ tsp oil around the edges. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the base is golden and the chilla releases easily when nudged.
- 7Flip and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes, pressing lightly, until both sides have brown spots. Repeat with the rest of the batter, stirring it each time as the vegetables sink.
Notes from the Department
- Medium heat is right. Besan needs a little time to cook through; too hot and it scorches outside and stays raw inside.
- Chop the vegetables very small. Big pieces tear the chilla when you spread it.
- If the chilla breaks while flipping, add 1 tbsp more besan to the batter for binding.
- Keep made chillas covered in a folded kitchen towel; they stay soft while you cook the rest.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 365 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrate
- 50 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugars
- 6 g
Why this works
Besan chilla is the North Indian breakfast that turns up when there is nothing else in the house. Adding ground oats makes it softer and gentler than a plain besan chilla and brings soluble fibre to the plate. The besan still does the important work: it binds the batter so it holds together in a thin round without any egg, and it gives the chilla its savoury, slightly nutty taste.
The short rest lets the oat powder absorb water. Skip it and the batter keeps thickening on the counter, so your last chilla ends up much heavier than your first. Ajwain is there for flavour and is a classic pairing with besan.
Swaps
Rolled oats work if ground the same way. Use spinach, methi leaves, grated zucchini or grated paneer in place of some vegetables; paneer means it is no longer vegan. For a gluten-free chilla, the recipe already avoids wheat and hing, so just use oats labelled certified gluten-free. No-onion households can use extra tomato and capsicum with a pinch of cumin.
Serving and storage
Serve hot with green chutney, tomato ketchup or a bowl of curd. Rolled around a spoon of paneer bhurji or mixed vegetables, it becomes a wrap for the lunch box. The Department of Packed Lunches approves of this arrangement.
Batter without the vegetables keeps for a day in the fridge. Cooked chillas keep for a day too; reheat them on a dry tawa for 30 seconds a side.
Questions people ask
- Can I make oats chilla without besan?
- Yes, but it is fragile. Replace the besan with 2 tbsp rice flour and 2 tbsp curd for binding, and cook slightly thicker chillas.
- Why is my oats chilla sticking to the pan?
- Either the pan is not hot enough or the batter is too thin. Heat the tawa properly, grease it, and add a spoon more besan if the batter is runny.
- Can I use instant masala oats for chilla?
- It is better to use plain oats. Flavoured instant oats already contain salt and seasoning, which makes the batter harder to balance.
- Is oats chilla gluten-free?
- It can be. Besan and oats contain no wheat, and this recipe skips hing. Use oats labelled certified gluten-free, since regular oats are often processed with wheat.
Inspired by Subbus Kitchen. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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