Name: Besan chilla, the 10-minute high-protein breakfast
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Besan (gram flour); ~¾ cup Water; 1 small Onion, finely chopped; 1 small Tomato, finely chopped; 1 + handful Green chilli + coriander; ¼ tsp Ajwain; ¼ tsp, to taste Turmeric, salt; 2 tsp Oil, for the pan

Why this recipe works

Two things make this the busy cook's friend. First, besan is ground chickpea, so unlike a wheat or rice batter it is naturally high in protein, roughly a fifth of its weight, which is why a chilla keeps you full far longer than toast. Second, it needs no fermenting and no rising: a dosa or idli batter must sit overnight, but besan cooks straight from a quick whisk, so breakfast is ten minutes from a cold start. A pinch of ajwain earns its place too, its thymol traditionally settles the slightly heavy feeling pulse flours can give.

Ingredients

Besan (gram flour)1 cup
Water~¾ cup
Onion, finely chopped1 small
Tomato, finely chopped1 small
Green chilli + coriander1 + handful
Ajwain¼ tsp
Turmeric, salt¼ tsp, to taste
Oil, for the pan2 tsp

Method

1

Whisk the besan with water into a smooth, pourable batter, a little thinner than pancake batter, with no lumps. Rest it while you chop, if you have a minute.

The point: besan needs no leavening or overnight ferment to cook thin and set, which is exactly why this is fast. A short rest just lets the flour hydrate and smooths the batter.
2

Stir in the onion, tomato, chilli, coriander, ajwain, turmeric and salt. The batter should still pour.

Why: the vegetables add fibre and water, slowing digestion further; the ajwain's thymol is the traditional answer to the heaviness pulses can bring.
3

Heat a tawa or non-stick pan on medium-high. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it thin in a circle. Drizzle a little oil around the edge.

Why: a properly hot pan sets the protein on contact so the chilla releases cleanly instead of sticking. Thin spreads cook through fast and evenly.
4

Cook 2 minutes until the underside is golden and the edges lift, flip, and give it another minute. Fold or roll, and eat with chutney or curd.

On the go: roll the finished chilla around a smear of chutney or some grated paneer, wrap the base in foil or paper, and it is a hot, high-protein breakfast for the road.

Three ways

1 · Classic

As above, with onion, tomato and coriander. The everyday version.

2 · More protein

Scatter grated paneer or a spoon of moong dal batter over the top before you flip.

3 · More greens

Fold in a handful of chopped spinach or grated carrot and courgette for extra fibre.