Besan Dhirde / Besan Cheela / Savory Gram Flour Pancakes

Besan Dhirde is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast dish. Basically it is a savory pancake made with gram flour and basic Indian spices and herbs. Besan Dhirde is similar to besan cheela but here in this dhirde we do not add veggies. The dish is onion-garlic free, vegan and gluten-free. Besan dhirde makes for a delicious protein rich breakfast and we Maharashtrians specifically make it during Ashad month (fourth Month of Hindu Calendar which corresponds to June/July in the Gregorian calendar) along with the Gavhache Dhirde, the sweet wheat flour pancakes. You can serve these delicious pancakes at breakfast with mango pickle or at lunch with some spicy curry and garlic chutney. 

Besan dhirde can be made thin or thick. When not adding veggies like in this recipe, i like to make it thin like crepes. When adding chopped onion, grated carrot , coriander , the besan cheela becomes filling and wholesome. Here i have added green chilies, ginger and fresh coriander leaves , cumin powder and salt to flavor the dhirde. The key to a good dhirde is to add water in batches, make a lump free thick batter first and then add water gradually to adjust the consistency. The batter is then spread in round shape on a heated pan / tawa and cooked from both the sides by adding very little oil. As i have made this dhirde for naivedhyam (offering to God) i have not added garlic or onion to it. Minced garlic gives a good flavor to this dhirde. 

                                   

It is customary in my family to make these savory besan dhirde and the sweet Gavhache Dhirde at least once during the Ashad month, offer it as naivedhyam to the deity and then consumed by the whole family as prasad. I am not sure about the reason behind this custom but we simply love both types of dhirde. With the onset of monsoon such healthy homemade dishes at breakfast are no less than a flavorful treat. The sweet panckes are served with sajuk tup (homemade ghee) and these spicy besan dhirde are served with spicy raw mango pickle . I have served it with garlic chutney and a spicy coconut based curry for lunch. So without further ado, let's get started.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour/ chickpea flour/ besan
• 1/2 inch ginger piece
• 2 green chilies
• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tablespoon oil for cooking the pancakes

Method:

1. To begin with making besan dhirde, grind the ginger , green chili and coriander leaves together without adding any water using a grinder jar.

2. Add gram flour to a mixing bowl. add this crushed ginger green chili coriander paste, turmeric powder. roasted cumin powder and salt to taste. Mix everything well and adding little water at a time whisk the mixture to get a lump free batter. at first the batter will be very thick. 

3.  To this, add water gradually and adjust the batter to a pouring consistency which is nether to runny or too thick. keep this batter aside for 5-10  minutes.

4. When ready to cook, heat a non stick pan/ tawa on medium flame. grease it with few drops of oil and then add a ladle full of batter in the centre of the tawa. Lower the flame and spread the batter with the backside of the ladle to thin circle. Drizzle some oil on the sides of this pancake and allow it to cook for a minute or so.

5. Loosen the sides of the pancake with a flat ladle and flip it. Cook it on the other side as well until you get golden brown spots . Remove the pancake on a plate. Make all the pancakes similarly.

 6. Serve the delicious and healthy besan dhirde with some pickle or chutney for breakfast. Here, i have served it at lunch with Garlic Chutney and a coconut based spicy curry.

Recipe Notes:

• Since I made these besan dhirde for naivdhyam, i did not add garlic or onion. Minced garlic gives a lovely flavor to this dhirde. 
• You may add finely chopped onions and grated carrots also to this pancake to make it all the more wholesome.
• You may adjust the green chilies in the recipe as per your spice tolerance and skip entirely if serving to small babies.
• You may add black pepper powder also to this dhirde if you desire.
• Do not skip the fresh coriander as it gives lovely aroma and flavor to the pancakes.

This delicious besan dhirde recipe is a part of the #206th # FoodieMondayBlogHop where the theme for this week is #GlutenFreeTreats. This theme was suggested by Sujata Roy. Sujata di is a very sweet person just like the variety of Sandesh recipes on her blog, Batter Up With Sujata. I also adore the variety of bakes on her blog made from healthy ingredients. Do check out her blog for lots of sweet treats, healthy bakes and Bengali recipes. As per her theme, we had to cook a dish which had a gluten-free main ingredient and also the whole dish should be gluten free. This besan dhirde fits perfectly into the theme and also apt for the ongoing Ashad month.

For the uninitiated , Gluten is a protein found in certain grain, such as wheat, rye and barley. Gluten hels the food maintain its shape by providing elasticity and moisture. It also allows the bread to rise and gives it a chewy texture. Although gluten is safe for most people, those with conditions like celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid it to prevent adverse health effects. Quinoa, oats, millets, brown rice, buckwheat, sorghum, tapioca etc are some of the gluten-free whole grains. Click here for more information about gluten-free foods.

This post is also added to the 130th My Legume Love Affair hosted by my dear friend and fellow blogger Kalyani. Conceptualized by Susan and carried forward to date by Lisa.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below. 

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For more Maharashtrian Flat breads & pancakes, check out the following recipe links from this blog.

• Goad Dashmi

                                

• Gavhache Dhirde

                               

• Puran Poli

                              

• Gulachi Poli

                             

• Bhajaniche Thalipeeth