Recipe: Red Lentil Pancake/Wrap
Red Lentil Pancake/Wrap
March 15 2024
A satisfyingly savoury and nutrient-dense breakfast option or side to your meals. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and FODMAP-friendly for those with IBS or other food sensitivities.
Red Lentil Pancake/Wrap
One thing I love about developing relationships with clients from different cultures is learning about the food. Most of us from non-Western cultures or families are often told to believe our foods are not healthy when in fact they can be very healthy. In every culture, there are ways of living or eating that can be unhealthy and it’s up to us to connect with ourselves to see what is true and what is not. We don’t have to conform to Western ways of eating to be healthy. Chilla/Cheela was introduced to me by a client many months ago and I finally got around to making it, and I love it so much!
This gluten-free and IBS-friendly Red Lentil Pancake/Wrap is called Chilla/Cheela and comes from Northern Indian cuisine. It's a simple savoury recipe that you can make the morning of or in advance for breakfast. It can also be used as a side to your meals similar to naan or roti. It uses 5 simple ingredients: red lentils, ginger, cilantro, water and salt. Although fresh is fantastic, it can be stored in the fridge, reheated and still taste amazing! Variations in spices and herbs can be used; onions and tomatoes can be added to the mix to change it up and add different flavours. A wonderful recipe to get creative with! I've kept this recipe simple because simple is always the best place to start. For cilantro-haters, you can leave it out or try green onions instead :)
It’s made thinner than a ‘traditional’ American pancake, but cooked similarly. It can be spread even thinner to be used as a wrap if desired (add an extra 1/2 cup of water when blending for a thinner consistency). I’ve been serving mine up with mashed avocado (folded in half) or eggs, but it’s traditionally served with various types of chutney or wrapped around veggies and paneer. If you have IBS and are sensitive to GOS (glucooligosaccharides) then you may want to limit to 1 pancake. If you try it, let me know what you think!
ingredients
1 cup Red Lentils (rinsed until water is clear)
3 cups Water (for soaking)
1” piece Fresh Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Water (for blending)
1/4 cup Cilantro Leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp Oil (for pan frying)
Recipe makes 4 servings/4 pancakes
How to make red lentil pancake/wrap (masoor dal Chilla)
Step 1: Start by rinsing red lentils until water is clear then add 3 cups of water to soak lentils (soak overnight, minimum 4 hours or use warm water and soak for 30 minutes).
Step 2: After soaking the lentils, drain the water. Add lentils to a blender with fresh water, salt and ginger. Blend until smooth.
Step 3: Add chopped cilantro to the mixture and stir. The mixture will be thicker and not too runny.
Step 4: Preheat a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Add oil to the pan. When hot, add about 1/3 cup of the mixture to the pan and spread out with a spoon or spatula into a 7-inch pancake. Cook until lightly browned for about 3 min and flip. Cook for an additional 2-3 min.
Step 5: Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter.
Step 6: Serve immediately or store in a bag or container with each pancake separated by parchment paper or paper towel for up to 4 days.
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