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Spinach Besan Chilla – also known as Palak Chilla or Spinach Puda – is a savory Indian pancake made with gram flour (besan), fresh spinach, and Indian spices. It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, and a staple in many Indian homes. It comes together in minutes and makes a satisfying and delicious breakfast.
One reader commented:
★★★★★
“I tried this recipe immediately after it was posted because I have never had luck with soft chilla. I followed this recipe and omgg it was so soft and super yummy. Very easy and readily available ingredients, too. Thank you for the recipe 😊”
– Rhea
Besan Chilla is a staple breakfast in almost every Indian household. Besan refers to gram flour, and chilla is a savory crepe – so this dish is essentially a savory crepe made with a gram flour batter. It’s also known as cheela, puda, or pudla, depending on the region.
Naturally vegan, nutritious, and satisfying, besan chilla pairs perfectly with a hot cup of Masala Chai. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make. If you love besan chillas, be sure to check out my Zucchini Carrot Besan Chilla and Rava Uttapam recipes.
You can add just about any veggies you like – spinach, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, onions, and more. I’ve even made a Mexican-inspired version using taco seasoning instead of Indian spices and topped it with cheese. My son actually prefers the cheesy version over the traditional one!
On my most recent trip to New Jersey, I made besan chilla with my mom, and they turned out so good and SOFT. In this post, I’m sharing three key tips to help you make the best besan chilla at home.
Mom’s 3 Tips for the Best Besan Chilla
- Batter – First, prepare the batter with just gram flour and water. Mix until there are no lumps. Once the spices and vegetables are added, add water gradually to achieve a flowing batter, which results in a soft chilla.
- Oil – Add 1/2 a teaspoon of oil to the pan to prevent sticking. Drizzle a 1/4 teaspoon of oil around the cheela, and once bubbles form, add a 1/4 teaspoon of oil on top before flipping.
- Spread the Batter – Once you pour the batter, spread it out so it’s on the thinner side. Cook on a low to medium heat when using a tawa (or cast-iron skillet).
Ingredients
- Onion – Finely chop the onions so that you don’t end up with big chunks.
- Green Chilies – I used two green chilies for this recipe, feel free to use more or less based on your spice level.
- Spinach – Chop the spinach into small pieces to avoid large pieces.
- Besan (Gram Flour) – Besan can be found at your local Indian grocery store or purchase on Amazon. You can also use chickpea flour as an alternative.
How to make Spinach Besan Chilla
Prepare Batter
Cook the Batter
Serving Suggestions
Serve spinach besan chilla with cilantro chutney, ketchup, sweet & sour maggi, or achaar. Of course, a cup of masala chai is a must!
Storage
Store chilla in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the tawa and enjoy.
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I’m happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Spinach Besan Chilla (Spinach Puda)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1 cup water – divided, 3/4 cup for initial batter; 1/4 cup at the end
- 1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1 tsp dhaniya powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp grama masala
- 1/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger, chopped
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp oil per chilla – divided, 1/2 tsp on tawa, 1/4 tsp around chilla, 1/4 tsp on top of chilla
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare Batter. In a mixing bowl, mix besan and 3/4 cup of water until you have a smooth batter. Add chopped ginger, green chilies, ground spices (carom seeds (ajwain), coriander powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala), and salt. Mix well. Next, add chopped spinach and finely chopped onions. Mix the batter until smooth. For a slightly thinner consistency, add up to 1/4 cup of water.
- Cook the Batter. Heat a tawa (cast-iron pan) over low to medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 a teaspoon of oil. Pour a 1/4 cup of batter onto the tawa and gently spread it out. Drizzle a 1/4 teaspoon of oil around each chilla. Once bubbles form on top, drizzle 1/4 teaspoon of oil on top. Gently flip. Cook on the other side for about 2 minutes. Flip again. Remove the chilla from the stove and enjoy.
NOTES
- Batter – First, prepare the batter with just gram flour and water. Mix until there are no lumps. Once the spices and vegetables are added, add water gradually to achieve flowing batter, which results in a soft chilla.
- Oil – Add 1/2 a teaspoon of oil to the pan to prevent sticking. Drizzle a 1/4 teaspoon of oil around the cheela, and once bubbles form, add a 1/4 teaspoon of oil on top before flipping.
- Spread the Batter – Once you pour the batter, spread it out so it’s on the thinner side. Cook on a low to medium heat when using a tawa (or cast-iron skillet).
I tried this recipe immediately after it was posted because I have never had a luck with soft chilla. I followed this recipe and omgg it was so soft and super yummy. Very easy and readily available ingredients too. Thank you for the recipe 😊
Thank you so much, Rhea. I’m so glad to hear that. This is my mom’s recipe so she’ll be happy my followers had success with it. Thanks!
Is the oil necessary for the recipe to come out well? Would love to make it but don’t want a disaster by leaving out a necessary ingredient.
HI Trish, THe oil is definitely necessary to spray the pan and cook the puda else how will it cook on a pan? You’re using an avocado oil spray (or whatever works). To add oil on top – I guess you can skip this, it’s not necessary, but it helps in tasting good. I didn’t use a lot of oil for this recipe. Note – 1 tbsp of oil (1/4 tsp per puda) – this makes about 12 pudas total. Hope that helps and makes sense. 🙂 Let me know how it goes.
Loved this! Excellent recipe.