Puda: The soft yet crispy chickpea pancake that's perfect any time of day

Puda was a breakfast staple for Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma, but now the cookbook author makes the savoury chickpea-flour pancake for any meal. And she prefers it the way her dad did: extra-crispy on the edges.

Its simple to make, and Chhitwal-Varma said you could even mix some of the dry ingredients in advance and keep it on hand for whenever youd like to cook up a batch. Simply combine the flours with the spices and baking powder and store in a glass jar, she told us. Then just add the water, chopped veggies, fresh herbs and salt to the dry mix and youve got a quick and crispy weeknight meal.

To make this vegan dish, follow the recipe below from Chhitwal-Varmas cookbook, Good Food, Healthy Planet.

Chickpea Flour Pancakes (Puda)

By Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma

I can eat these savoury, crispy, totally delicious pancakes straight out of the pan, thats how good they are! While I grew up eating them for breakfast, they are hearty enough to enjoy any time of day, especially when served with a light salad or chopped veggies and quick-pickled onions on the side.

Notes:

Chickpea flour is a hearty, fibre-rich flour, and as a result these pancakes take a little longer to cook than those made with all-purpose flour. Allow time to cook the pancake thoroughly for the flavours to develop. The pancake edges should darken and get crispy.

Making ahead? These crepes can be prepared the day before. Wrap them in a tea towel and refrigerate. Reheat with a drizzle of oil in a pan on medium heat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• cup rice flour
• cup finely chopped red onions
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• tsp cumin powder
• tsp chili powder
• tsp turmeric powder
• tsp black pepper
• 1 cups water
• cup finely diced peppers, any colour (optional)
• cup chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1 small green chili, finely sliced (optional)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• tsp salt (approx.)
• 4 tsp oil (approx.)

Equipment:

• Mixing bowl

Preparation

Whisk together the flours, onions, coriander, cumin, chili powders, turmeric, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the water cup at a time and continue whisking. Any lumps can be mashed away on the side of the bowl. The final consistency of the batter should be thin, as if for crepes. Mix in the peppers and cilantro (if using), baking powder, and salt (start with tsp and adjust to taste). Set the mixture aside for 20 minutes.

Place a heavy-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add 1tsp oil and swirl it around. Once you see the oil shimmer, it is ready. Pour in 3tbsp of batter and tilt the pan to swirl the batter around to get even thinness and a circular shape. Let the pancake sit on medium heat until you see bubbles coming up around the edges, about 3-4 minutes. The crepe is ready to flip when it looks a little crispy on the edges and comes away from the pan. Dont fight it if it doesnt come away easily; another 30 seconds in the pan and a tiny drizzle of oil should do it. Flip and brown the pancake on the other side, 2 minutes.

Repeat with the rest of the batter; it should make 4 pancakes.

Eat hot with dips or chutneys, fresh greens, and pickled veggies.

Makes 4 pancakes

Excerpted fromGood Food, Healthy Planet by Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma. Copyright 2024 by Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma. Reprinted with permission from TouchWood Editions.