BESAN PUDA

Course: Breakfast/Brunch,Salty Snacks

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Makes:  6 or 7 pudas

Ingredients:

• 175 g besan (gram flour)
• 1 small onion, cut into small pieces
• 1” ginger, grated
• ¼ unwaxed lemon, grated
• ¾  tsp rock salt (or as required)
• ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp red flakes chilli (optional)
• 1 green chili crushed finely (optional)
• 1 tsp dry methi
• Few stigs of coriander, cut coarsely
• ¼ tsp ajwain seeds (carom seeds)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 150 to 200 ml water (can vary depending on the consistency required)
• Oil for frying, as needed

Method:

1. Add gram flour to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add all the other ingredients – onion, ginger, lemon, salt, turmeric powder, flaked chilli, green chilli, methi, coriander, ajwain seeds and oil to the bowl. Mix well until combined nicely.
3. Slowly add water, whisking all the time to make a smooth, lump free batter.
4. Before cooking, allow the besan mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
5. Keep the frying pan on medium heat. You can use a heavy based steel pan. Add  ½ to 1 tbsp of oil to grease it nicely. When it gets hot, add one big serving spoon full of mixture to the pan and spread it around.
6. Cook it on medium-low heat until the bubbles cover the puda, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Gently run a spatula, preferably steel, under the puda slowly and make sure it is not stuck to the pan and then flip it over. Make sure not to flip over too soon as it may break.  The puda needs to become a little bit stronger before it is flipped over.
8. Cook until both the sides have turned slightly brown. Remove from the pan. Repeat until all the batter is used.
9. Enjoy while these are hot.

Special Note:

• Besan pudas can be served with yogurt raita or any other type of chutney.
• Besan Puda can be eaten as breakfast along with meetha puda or eaten as a snack also. This is one of the North Indian popular dishes,