Gluten-Free Besan Chilla (Indian Chickpea Pancake) with Mint Raita

If you have just been diagnosed and you are mourning the lost weekday breakfast, let India hand you a better one. Besan chilla is a savoury pancake made from besan — chickpea flour — whisked with water, spices and whatever vegetables are in the drawer, then cooked like a thick crepe until golden and lacy. Ready in ten minutes, high in protein, and never anywhere near wheat.

Gluten-Free Besan Chilla (Indian Chickpea Pancake) with Mint Raita

India's 10-minute savoury chickpea pancake, served with a cool mint raita. Naturally gluten-free and high in protein — the everyday breakfast that happens to be a coeliac's dream. (Ingredient amounts are HTGF standard; the source listed ingredients only.)

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Chilla (pancake)

• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour) certified gluten-free — see notes
• 0.75 cup water to a pourable batter
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• Ajwain (carom seeds) a pinch, optional
• Oil for the pan

Mint raita

• 150 g plain yogurt or coconut yogurt
• Fresh mint leaves a handful
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 0.25 tsp ground cumin
• Salt a pinch

Method

 

1. Make the batter: Combine the besan, water, spices and chopped vegetables and whisk until smooth. Rest 10 minutes to hydrate. (Optional: a pinch of ajwain.)
2. Cook the chilla: Pour a ladle of batter onto a hot, greased non-stick pan and spread like a thick crepe. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Repeat.
3. Make the raita: Blend or whisk the mint, yogurt, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Chill.
4. Serve the warm chilla with the cool raita. Add grated ginger, carrot or spinach to the batter for more veg.

Notes

Coeliac notes
• Besan (chickpea/gram flour) is naturally gluten-free but frequently milled/packed alongside wheat — if highly sensitive, buy flour labelled gluten-free.
• Asafoetida (hing) warning: compounded hing is usually cut with wheat flour. This recipe uses none, but if you add it, buy a gluten-free version.
• Chutneys & pickles: check for malt vinegar or added wheat.
• Pure single spices (turmeric, cumin, ajwain) are GF; pre-mixed masalas can hide wheat.
• When a label is unclear, treat it as "not for me".

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