Channa Dal powdered to become Besan(Chickpea flour)
Besan ki Childa (Chickpea flour pancakes) is one recipe that relieves me from my everyday thinking “What to cook?”. This dish is healthy as besan is nothing but Chickpea flour or Gram flour as it is called in India. It is mixed with vegetables of your choice & spices and poured like dosa or pancakes onto hot iron pan. So, you see there is no guilt in relishing this simple yet heavenly dish a little more. I call it “The Vegetarian Omelet”
My husband & I love this dish and we can eat anytime of the day be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner; of course served hot, although I do not mind eating it at room temperature. One cannot go wrong with this recipe. Besan being one of the basic ingredients in our kitchen, this is such a handy dish to prepare. Because of the vegetables and spices, you do not need a chutney to be served alongside but a coriander/cilantro chutney would only do more good.
Recipe: (Makes about 10 -12)
1 & 1/2 cups besan
1 carrot shredded
1/2 bell pepper – green finely chopped
1 medium size onion finely chopped
1/2 cup thawed corn, mashed a little
1/2 cup thawed peas (optional)
Few sprigs of cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Oil
1 green chili finely chopped (optional)
Mix all the vegetables and cilantro with besan. Add some water and bring it to the consistency of a dosa or pancake batter. Add the chili powder, salt. Heat a non-stick pan or a cast iron pan, add a tsp oil and spread all over. On a medium flame, pour the batter and spread it into round shape just like the dosa or pancake. Drizzle a tsp oil around the batter.
Childa batter cooking on a cast iron pan
Allow it cook for a couple of minutes until golden brown then flip to cook on the other side. Serve hot with or without chutney; either way it tastes YUM-O!
Besan ki Childa – The Vegetarian Omelet
© 365 Days of Pure Vegetarian 
Hi , Today while searching the net for Gobi Roll recipe (the one that is available at Hot Breads in Sunnyvale), I came across your site. The name was quite attractive and so ended up clicking the Gobi Paratha recipe and was happy to see your other recipes. I liked your Besan ki Childa. I plan to try that out tomorrow night for dinner but with a slight variation. I have Adai maavu with me and so plan to mix the vegetables into it and try it. Will keep you posted.
For a very long time now, I have been thinking of making a chart wherein I do not repeat what I cook atleast for 2 weeks in a row but that never seems to be happening. So, now I am planning to visit your website frequently and try out all that you are putting up. The pictures are very inviting. U said you live in Bay Area. Where do you live? I live in Sunnyvale and I do know few Priyas. So, wondering if you are one among them. If possible, please email me or respond to this comment for me to see if I know you otherwise.
Thanks and please do keep posting more recipes 🙂
Regards,
Gita
Thanks so much Gita for your wonderful comments. I hope to keep this site up-to-date. Do let me know for any recipes you might be interested in seeing and I will try my best to add it.
Thanks,
–Priya
I would love to try your besan ki childa. I would grind the chickpea powder from the beans myself, but need to know if the chickpea flour is ground from raw or cooked chickpeas?
I live about 2 hours north of Toronto in Canada, and getting the flour is difficult.
thanks, Pat
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your comment. You need to grind dried raw chickpea to get the flour or as we call it besan. It could be a little hard to grind at home though. If you don’t mind buying the flour online, there are some options.
Hope this helps
Hello, I just discovered your blog, and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Had been feeling a bit nostalgic about home cooked veg food.. away from home..
ur website is good and quite helpful..
now am off for some chilla!! thnx
Dear L,
I am glad that my recipes could make you feel a bit comfortable and less nostalgic. Yes I guess we all go through this being so far from our parents and homeland. I hope things get better for you.
Take care dear.
Great job keep up the good work!!!
Hi!
I tried your veg omelet and I loved it!!! I was blown away that this recipe was sooo simple and quick, yet it was delish! I did make a few adjustments I added jeera and dhania powders and a lil more mirchi pwd (what can I say I’ve developed a taste for heat). I also mixed mint-cilantro chutney with yogurt for a nice dipping sauce. My mom, who hasn’t developed a taste for Indian food (yet) loved it and requested I make it again…soon. This dish is so easy how could I not?!!!
I love your website, thanks so much
Such a wonderful idea, This recipe looks so royal that I can wait to prepare it and cherish the taste.
Hi Priya,
Happen to c ur website when i was searching for Lauki receipe. Website name was so catchy and thatz how i came thro’ ur website. It has a lot of interesting receipes. Sterday i did Besan ki childa and my husband loved it so much. Since i am in Taiwan and away from home, ur receipes reminds me my granny’s cooking….
Expecting many more such receipes…
Regards,
Sathya
Hi Sathya,
I am so glad you stumbled upon my blog and more so the recipe came out well and your husband liked it. I can’t be happier.
Thanks for trying it out. Let me know if you would like to see anything specific. Wow, Taiwan eh? Must be fun. How is life there? Are there Indians? How long have you been there?
take care.
Hi Priya,
Its nice to see the speedy reply. Life is great here in Taiwan and being Mom of a 6 n half month old baby, is much more rewarding. Its been 1 n half year being in Taiwan. And v have few indian families staying around here.
Can you please post receipes for babies too. It would b much helpful for New mom like me. I tried doing Stuffed Lauki today and it came out very well!!!!!
Sathya,
Congrats on your baby. Is it a boy or a girl? I am also a Mom for a 8 & 1/2 month old boy and yes life is hectic yet rewarding. Hmm.. recipes for such a little eh? I am yet to come up with those. As of now, I only give him cooked dal’s mixed with rice cereal as he is not yet ready for real rice. So, as time goes by and as & when I starting exploring baby foods, I promise to post them. And your little one is younger than mine, so I can test it first before posting.
Take care.
Hi Priya,
I have a 6 n 1/2 month old baby boy….Its nice to know that u post these receipes inspite of ur busy schedules of being Mom…of little one.Am also giving him dal n rice apart from cereals. Try to post few baby food receipes when u give for ur little one.
Wishes n sweet kisses for ur little one!!! from my little one–“Adithya Nithilan”
Take care
Just finished enjoying this dish. I didn’t have carrot or corn so I added 1/2 cup of red beans. Turned out great, and really easy! I did miss having a bit of sauce/chutney, though. Would even be good with a little bit of some nice, tomato choley on the side.
Love your Aloo Tikki, too. Easy, but impressive to guests!
Thanks so much Chelsea. I am glad the recipes were easy and enjoyable by everyone. That’s the whole point of cooking; it should never be stressful. Glad everything turned out well.
nice recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Indian Kitchen. I am glad you liked it.
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