Madhu B Joshi
Work from home combined with non-availability of many ingredients pose the challenge of cooking something that is filling as well as delicious. In these times, there is no option for food lovers but to experiment with whatever is available in the kitchen at any given point of time. Especially, when it’s not advisable to order outside food.
When you have loads of tasks at hand from office work to cleaning and washing, you should pick recipes that are not too strenuous to make and can be prepared with basic ingredients.
Chilla is something which can prove to be your true friend in these trying times as it can be easily customised to match your mood. It could be sweet or savoury. You can also team it up with a variety of accompaniments from butter, curd, raita, salad, pickles, chutney, jam, and the possibilities are truly endless.
Here are two recipes you can start with and we will keep bringing more for you.
BASIC SAVOURY CHILLA:
Ingredients
Plain wheat atta: 6 tablespoons
Besan/chickpea flour: 3 tablespoons
Salt: ¼ teaspoon
Chilli powder: a pinch
Water: 1 cup
METHOD
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix water by spoonsful and mix till you have a thick smooth paste. Allow to rest for five minutes. Meanwhile you could chop some onion (half a small one), green coriander and green chillies if you like.
Grease a nonstick griddle or shallow pan and heat on a medium flame. Pour a spoonful of paste. Check if the pan is hot enough (your paste should spread with a soft sizzling sound), flip your mini cheela with a wide knife or flat spoon and toast it to desired goldenness.
Bring the flame to sim and make more chillas by pouring a ladleful of paste and spreading it. Flip, press with the flat spoon, add butter/oil/ghee and toast it to desired goldenness.
Alternatively, add the chopped veggies to the paste and give them a quick stir just before you are ready to pour the paste on the griddle/pan. Or you could add them to some curds.
BASIC SWEET CHEELA:
Plain wheat atta: 6 tablespoons
Sooji/semolina: 3 tablespoons
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Salt: a pinch
Water: 1 cup
METHOD
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix water by spoonsful and mix till you have a thick smooth paste. Allow to rest for five minutes. Meanwhile, you could chop some nuts if you fancy. Add them to the paste. Add a couple of spoonsful of water again because sooji/semolina absorbs lots of water.
Grease a nonstick wok or shallow pan and heat on a medium flame. You can pour a spoonful of paste in the oil as mentioned in the earlier recipe to check if it is ready.
Bring the flame to sim, pour a ladleful of paste and spread it. Flip, press with the flat spoon, add butter/oil/ghee and toast it to desired goldenness.
Relish it with jam, curds or leftover dessert.
(Photo courtesy: veggietummy.com)
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