Moong Dhal Quinoa Chilla (or Cheela) is a versatile lentil-based Indian crepe. The texture of this crepe is thinner than a pancake and thicker than a regular crepe. You can enjoy chilla with your favourite chutney or dip and it is also an outstanding dish for those who eat vegan meals. It goes well with autumn soups too!
It cooks beautifully in cast iron cookware. There are many benefits of using cast iron pans, skillet and griddles for cooking - they are excellent when it comes to conducting heat, they are chemical-free, add iron to food, and are easy to clean.
Ingredients
Batter:
- ½ cup Quinoa
- 1 cup of Moong dhal or split peas
- 1 ½ inch Ginger
- 1-2 Green chilli
- 10 Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp Rice - cooked (optional for softer chilla)
- Hing or Asafoetida
- 2 tbsp Grated coconut
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt - I added ½ tsp
- 1 cup Water
Chilla/ Crepes:
- 6-7 tsp oil or ghee to make chillas
- Chopped tomato and onion for toppings
Instructions
To make the batter for Chilla:
- Wash Moong Dhal and Quinoa for a couple of times, then soak into water for at least 2 hrs, I do this process the night before I a making Chillas.
- Then, drain the water and put them in a blending jar.
- Next, except oil, add all the ingredients into a blending jar, add water little by little, (I usually start adding with ¼ cup of water) run the machine for a few seconds, then I add another ¼ cup of water and make a smooth, thick yet pourable batter.
To make the Chilla:
- Keep water in a small bowl.
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat for 7 minutes. Sprinkle water, if the water evaporates immediately, your griddle is ready to use.
- Pour 1 tsp of vegetable or sesame oil, spread the oil all over the pan with a clean piece of cloth.
- Scoop a half cup of batter and place in the centre of the pan. After that, with the back of a round ladle swirl the batter to spread.
- Over medium heat cook the first side for 1 minute, You will see the top side is getting dry.
- Add chopped onion, chopped tomato on the top. Give a gentle press with the back of your spatula.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil on the top and cook further 2 minutes.
- Dip a metal spatula in the water, and this process will help to remove the Chilla from the pan.
- Then flip and cook the other side for another 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Rub the pan with a damp cloth.
- Repeat the process to finish all the batter.
Notes:
With this amount of batter, you can make 6 big (or 8 medium) chillas.
The flipping process will be easy if you use a sharp edge metal spatula.
You can store the batter into a glass container with a lid up to a week. The only concern is the batter might get thick, so you need to add water to get the right consistency.
Adding cooked rice makes the chilla soft, but if you don’t want, you can skip the rice.
