Sprouted Beans and Lentils Chilla

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Sprouted Beans and Lentils Chilla

Sprouted Beans and Lentils Chilla is a super nutritious and simple recipe of savoury pancakes prepared with sprouted lentils and spices. Simple, easy, and loaded with nutrition.

‘Chilla’ (also called a cheela or a puda or a pudla) in Hindi means ‘Pancake’. There are many variations of chillas/pancakes in India – savoury and sweet. Chillas are slightly thicker than crepes and thinner than American Pancakes. If you have tried and loved my Besan Chilla and Moong Dal chilla recipes, then you will love this protein and Vitamin B rich Sprouted Beans and Lentils Chilla.

If you are looking for healthy Indian recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner, then this recipe today is just for you! Made with 4 types of beans and lentils this chilla is protein loaded, delicious and a hearty dish for anytime of the day. Sprouting beans increases the nutrient levels and also aids in digestion. Due to its super nutritional value, it is gradually appearing in recipes around the globe. I make sprouts at least once a week using different grains and at my home sprouted moth chaat, Misal Pav, Usal Pao and Sprouted Moong Beans and Sweet Potato Cutlets is often on the weekly menu.

Sprouting takes anywhere between 24 hours to 36 hours depending on climatic conditions and once sprouted I keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days for various recipes. I have explained the process of sprouting in the ‘Tips and Variations’ section.

Other healthy recipes you might like are Ragi Wrap Stuffed with Paneer, Paneer Fajita, Masala Dosa, Vegetable Soup and Lemon Coriander Soup.

Ingredients

2 cups mixed sprouted beans (red chickpeas, whole moth beans, whole green gram, black eye beans)
½ inch ginger
2-3 green chillies
1-2 teaspoon finely chopped coriander
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 teaspoons oil

Directions

Step-1

Drain the water from the sprouted beans and lentils and add it to a blender. Add the ginger and green chillies and grind it to a smooth batter. I didn’t need to add any water while grinding but if it is too dry you can add 2-3 tablespoons of water as needed. We want the batter to be like pancake mix, or double cream or dosa batter.

Step-2

Empty the batter in a bowl and add coriander, salt, cumin seeds and chilli powder. Mix and keep aside.

Step-3

To make the chilla, heat a griddle or pan (preferably a cast iron one). Once the pan is hot, lower the heat. Pour 1-2 ladle of batter (depending on the size of your pan and ladle) in the centre of the pan. Spread the batter using the back of the ladle to make a round. Increase the heat to medium and pour ½ teaspoon oil on the sides. Cook the pancake on medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden and then flip. Pour ½ teaspoon oil and cook this side for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Flip once again and add 1-2 teaspoons of filling on one side of the chilla and fold it.
Serve hot with coriander chutney.

Tips & Variations

To sprout the beans- Take equal quantities of the four lentils and beans. Wash and soak the beans and lentils in 1 cup of water for 6-8 hours. You can soak them overnight also. Strain the soaked beans and lentils through a strainer to get rid of excess water. There are few ways to germinate the beans. I usually use a perforated container to germinate them at home. Place the soaked beans in a perforated box and sprinkle water over the beans and place them in a warm place to germinate. It takes 1-2 days to germinate in summers. To keep the beans moist, everyday rinse the beans using light water pressure. Your goal is to not move the bean while you are rinsing them. That means extremely low water pressure and rinsing for a long time to make sure you have rinsed them well. The beans will develop short shoots and that means they are ready to use. Instead of a perforated box, you can put the soaked beans in a cloth. Tie a knot to make a sprout bag. Cover with a sieve (for ventilation). Place in a warm place. In third method of sprouting, you can use a microwave. This method is suitable for winters: Heat the microwave at high power for 2 mins. Place the beans in the microwave for 24 hours. Remember to turn off microwave. You can also use a glass jar instead of a perforated box. It works as well. The germination of the beans is dependent on the warmth. In hot weather the beans can germinate within 1-2 days while in winters it might take longer.
You can use any other whole beans and lentils too.
You can add some finely chopped onions, spinach, kale, or grated carrots, courgette, beetroot to the batter.
If you like thin chilla then grind the batter until smooth and make a thinner consistency batter.
I always season the pan before cooking the pancakes. There are two ways of doing it. Firstly, you can heat the pan and then splash some water on it and wipe it. Second method is on low heat, add 1/6 teaspoon of oil and spread it on the whole pan, and then wipe it clean.
You can add 2-3 tablespoons of chickpea flour (besan) for added taste and texture.
This is an instant recipe; you don’t have to rest the batter. You can immediately make the chillas once the sprouts have ground.
Make the chillas smaller when you first make this recipe–this will make the process far easier, and you will get better at shaping them with practice. This is a rustic food, so it doesn’t have to look perfect.