Rajasthani Besan Chilla Curry Recipe, Savory pancake in gravy

Rajasthani Besan chilla curry is a traditional recipe usually made in our home. I also prefer making this dish when I am out of veggies. It is curd based gravy with savory gram flour pancakes. To make pancakes or besan chila, you can check the recipe here.

Here I am with something which I wanted to post for very long time; Chilla ki sabji as we call. It’s a great side dish with roti/paratha or rice and quite easy to make.

It’s best served in winter or rainy days, and it’s raining here. So let’s go straight to the recipe.

Step by step Rajasthani Besan chilla curry recipe:

1. In a big bowl, take 1 cup curd and ½ cup water and Wisk until smooth.
   
    
2. Add 1 tbsp. besan (gram flour), ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt as required. Mix well until it is lump free.
   
3. Now take a thick bottom pan and add oil/ghee. When the oil is hot enough, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and chopped green chili.
   
4. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, hing and red chili powder.
   
5. Now pour in ½ cup water immediately.
   
6. Now add the curd (dahi) mixture. Sir continuously till the mixture starts boiling. Keep on stirring otherwise the yogurt will curdle.
   
7. Once the curry starts boiling and you smell a nice aroma, simmer the gas for 4-5 minutes so that it gets cooked well.
   
8. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala.
   
    
9. Cut chilla into small pieces and add the pieces to the hot curry.
   
10. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
    
11. Serve hot and immediately with roti or paratha.
    
     

Rajasthani Besan chilla curry recipe below:

Rajasthani Besan chilla curry recipe Prep time Cook time Total 10 min  10 min 20 min Besan chilla curry- A yogurt/curd based curry with savory gram flour pancake AUTHOR: Monali RECIPE TYPE: Side CUISINE: Rajasthani, Indian SERVES: 3-4 INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup=237 ml) For tempering- 1 tbsp. Oil/ghee ¼ tsp mustard seeds/rai/sarson ¼ tsp cumin seeds/jeera ¼ tsp fennel seeds 1 green chili, chopped 1-2 sprig curry leaves/curry patta A pinch of hing/asafoetida ¼ tsp red chili powder ¼ tsp garam masala powder (optional) For curry- 1 cup dahi/plain yogurt 1 cup water 1 tbsp. gram flour/besan ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi Salt as per taste Few Coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped  DIRECTION In a big bowl, take the curd and ½ cup water. Wisk it well to make it smooth. Add besan (gram flour), turmeric powder and salt. You can leave this mixture for 10 minutes; which will help dissolve the lumps into the curd. Then mix well until it is lump free. Now take a deep and thick bottom pan and add oil/ghee. When the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, hing and red chili powder. Now pour in ½ cup water immediately, followed by curd (dahi) mixture. Sir continuously till the mixture starts boiling. Keep on stirring otherwise the yogurt will curdle. Once the curry starts boiling and you smell a nice aroma, simmer the gas for 4-5 minutes so that it gets cooked well. If the consistency of curry is thick you can add little water to it. Cut chilla into small pieces and add the pieces to the hot curry. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  NOTES To get the authentic taste of this curry, the curd should be little sour. If not then add ½ tsp. lemon juice to the curry.   The consistency of the curry should be on the thinner side, as the chilla tends to absorb a lot of moisture. After adding the chilla pieces, the curry need not be boiled or cooked further. Do not let the curry sit for long time. The chilla absorbs the gravy and becomes very soggy.  SERVING SUGGESTION Serve hot with roti or paratha or even rice.