Chilla is a quick savoury pancake made from soaked lentils. It needs no fermenting, and it is an easy way to fold vegetables into breakfast or the tiffin box.
Makes: 6 chillas | Time: 25 minutes, plus 2 hours soaking | Suits: 1 year and up
Ingredients
- 1 cup split yellow moong dal, soaked for 2 hours
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup finely chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Salt to taste (leave out for children under one)
- Oil or ghee for the pan
Method
- Drain the dal and grind it with the ginger and a little water to a smooth, pourable batter.
- Stir in the carrot, spinach, coriander, turmeric, cumin and salt.
- Heat a pan on medium and brush with oil.
- Spread a ladle of batter into a thin round. Cook for 2 minutes until the underside is golden, flip, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Serve with plain curd or a mild mint chutney.
Tiffin tip: Roll each chilla around grated paneer or cucumber sticks and cut in half for small hands.
Contains: no common allergens when cooked in oil. Ghee and curd contain milk.
From the Healthy Juniors kitchen. Review by our nutritionist panel is pending. Every child is different: check with your doctor about allergies and before introducing new foods to children under one.