Hariyali Cheela~Herbed Crepés

PUDLA/ CHILA aur PALKA ka RAITA

Savory pancakes and crepes are a big part of Indian breakfasts, light meals called tiffins . Most popular being dosa, fermented rice and lentil crepes made a hundred different ways. The other type crepe/ pancake is chilla or pudla, made with chickpea (besan) or other lentil flour like mung.

Pudla or Chilla are popular brunch or snacks, flavored with tumeric, ginger, carom seeds, cumin and lots of herbs, I paired these crepés with a healthy spinach-cucumber-blueberry raita. You could steam the spinach if you’re not comfortable adding raw spinach to yogurt, both work well. Simply steam the leaves till they wilt lightly, cool, squeeze the moisture, chop and add it to the yogurt including the squeezed liquid, you don’t want to throw away the good nutrients.

• 

• 

HARYALI PUDLA WITH SPINACH BLUEBERRY RAITA

INGREDIENTS

MAKES about 8-9, 6-7 INCH PANCAKES

• 3/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
• 3/4 cup mung bean flour ** see notes below
• 1 teaspoon carom seeds
• 1 ½ cups water, plus more as needed to get a pancake batter like consistency 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped, or use as many to your heat tolerance
• 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mix of parsley, dill and mint

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift both the flour, turmeric, cumin, carom seeds and salt. In a food processor pulse chilli, cilantro, ginger. Add it to the flour mix.
2. Add the water slowly while mixing it with a whisk. Making sure there are no lumps in the batter. Cover and leave it to sit for at least an hour or if you can for up to two hours. Add more water after its rested if it has thickened, It should be a pouring consistency like a crepe batter.
3. When you’re ready to eat, get a wide griddle or frying pan to high heat. Spray with a little oil then reduce the heat to medium high.
4. Using a ladle, spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into the centre of the pan and swirl round gently spread the batter as this and evenly as possible.
5. Cook it for 40 secs to a minute on the first side, then flip it over with a spatula and cook on the othe, till the pancake is firm and the edges have crisp browning.
6. Remove the chilla/ pudla and set on a plater.
7. Serve with raita and or Indian style pickle or chutney. I like a good Raita.

1. NOTE: Using oil spray gets the pancakes crispy on the edges without turning them greasy and heavy.
2. If its hard to find mung flour simple soak 3/4 cup yellow washed mung beans in warm water for a hour and blend till you get a smooth thin paste. Add it to the batter in place of mung flour and adjust the water to get the same consistency.

THE RAITA

Finely chop 2 handful of clean baby spinach you could also steam them before chopping. Finely dice 2 small cucumbers. Mix with ½ cup of blueberries and 1-2 cups of yogurt, season the salt and pepper. serve with pudlas.