If you’re looking for a healthy and delicious Indian dish that works for breakfast lunch or dinner, this Lauki Besan Chilla is your perfect pick. This easy-to-make savoury pancake combines the nourishing goodness of grated bottle gourd (lauki) with protein-rich gram flour (besan) and aromatic spices to deliver a tasty and satisfying meal in just 25 minutes.
To make this nutritious chilla start by grating one cup of fresh lauki and mix it in a bowl with one and a half cups of besan. Add a pinch of turmeric hing ajwain cumin powder red chilli powder white sesame seeds finely chopped onion tomato and optional capsicum. Enhance the flavour with chopped green chillies ginger garlic paste coriander leaves a pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Drizzle in a teaspoon of oil and mix everything well.
Add a little water gradually to form a thick batter. Avoid making it too runny so the vegetables stay well combined. Let the mixture rest for five minutes to absorb the spices.
Heat a pan or tawa and add some oil or ghee. Pour 1 to 2 ladles of the batter onto the hot surface and gently spread it into a circular shape. Cook on medium heat and add more oil or ghee along the edges if needed. Once the base turns golden and the edges begin to lift flip the chilla and cook the other side until fully done.
Serve hot with mint chutney tamarind chutney or plain curd for a fulfilling and nutritious Indian-style meal that’s light on the stomach yet rich in flavour.
