Savoury Pancakes- Besan Ke Chile/ Poode –Vegetarian Omelette...

Long time no see? I hope that absence has made the heart fonder, not wander or wonder! No excuses this time, just a constant struggle between the grey cells and the fingers. It’s all there in the brain but the fingers just have been refusing to co operate. They have been mighty busy trying to get sweet child to study. His year end exams generally loom over our heads like Medusa’s DREAD locks.

Once upon a time when sweet child was actually sweet and young and might I add, gullible, totally, it was so easy to drag him to his books and make him study and write and re revise. His perfect scores used to feel like mine. Now, the scene is bleak. I’ve been suffering from a hollering and anger induced hangover type headache (which feels bad-because the alcohol was NOT there!).

Ah, the memories of the days when the teacher handed over his yearend report with a smile and praises for sweet child’s sweetness. This year, we will –thankfully, be on vacation, and I will ask friend Ritu to go and face the wrath.

A word of advice for the young, go and study! If your mum has to face the same situation as me, I’m sure you will too. After all the chickens have come home to roost! Mum!!!

These savoury pancakes that I’m about to blog about are a perfect snack or for that matter meal for those who are hard at cerebral work. Gram flour is HIGH protein, onions and garlic feed the fibre intake and yogurt is in general good!

For the

Savoury Pancakes- Besan Ke Chile/ Poode –Vegetarian Omelette...

You need

1 cup gram flour/Besan

4 tbsp yogurt (the sourer the better)

Vegans can substitute the yogurt with a solution of plain water and lemon juice. 

1 small onion finely diced

2 garlic scapes finely chopped

½ tsp Ajwain/Bishop's weed

Salt, red chilli flakes

½ tsp oregano (optional)

¼ tsp baking powder

2-3 tsp chopped coriander/cilantro

1 tsp Chaat Masala

2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)/olive oil/ vegetable oil to cook

Many names, huh? But then a rose is still a rose, whatever you call it. 

Quick. Hardly any waiting time this needs.Put your non stick griddle/pan onto heat.

Thats all the Gram flour/ besan you need to make 7 or 8 pancakes.

Garlic Scapes fresh from the back yard.These add a whopper of a flavour to anything that you put them in.

In a bowl, place the gram flour,  and the spices. Add the baking powder and mix it all together well.

A little FYI byte...Ajwain or Bishop's weed is really good for your tummy.


The Active principles in ajwain may help increase the digestive function of the intestinal tract by increasing gut juices(gastro intestinal secretions). Thymol, theessential oil obtained from ajwain has anti- bacterial and anaesthetic and anti fungal properties. Like caraway, ajwain seeds are rich in flavor, fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti oxidants!

Sourced from here.

Now go in the the onions and the garlic..

Now the cilantro/ coriander.Blend all this with a whisk, while adding in the yogurt.If you feel that the batter is too thick, add some water or more yogurt.

The batter should be of a pourable consistency. Not too runny, or the pancake /Poode will cook before the onions and generally not taste nice.

By now the pan will be hot enough, add the oil/ghee. Not too much, just one tsp will do for 3 pancakes.

I use the Hawkins Futura Non Stick pan. Any day better than Tefal, for households with a kaamwali Bai,.
Someone who didnt pay for the dishes will not wash them with any amount of love or sensitivity. So this one is more value for money!

Just one ladleful will do. Two or three pancakes on the pan, depending on the size of your pan.

You’ll need to cook them on a low heat. Add a little more oil/ ghee if you feel the pancake is not crisping up.

When done, flip the pancake, and cook the same way. Just press the pancake with your spatula to ensure t is cooked evenly.

Once they are done, sprinkle some chaat Masala over one side. If you don’t have any, dry mango powder/ amchur or even lemon juice will do.

These taste yummy, warm, spicy and tangy.

Pop a couple of slices of bread into your toaster.

And make a sandwich out of them. You can also eat them without the bread; just dip them in green chutney or ketchup.

Dieters and vegans delight. These pancakes rock!

A lot more healthy, exam type snacks, which are low in calories, high in fibre and absolutely yummy coming up. I’m going to sit and let my fingers do all the talking this Saturday night, as our date is only with grade six science!

So what are you baking today???