Suji Cheela (Semolina Vegetable Pancakes)
سوجی چیلا (سبزیوں والے سوجی کے پین کیک)
Suji cheela is a savoury pancake made from (semolina) and yogurt with grated vegetables mixed in. The batter needs just 10 minutes' rest, cooks quickly on a , and makes soft, slightly tangy pancakes with crisp, lacy edges. They need no eggs, so they're good for children with egg allergies, and they taste just as good at room temperature in a lunch box with a little ketchup or chutney.
- ⏱ Total: 30 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 3
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the suji, yogurt, water and salt into a thick, pourable batter. Cover and rest for 10 minutes so the suji softens.
Stir in the onion, carrot, capsicum, tomato, coriander and cumin. The batter will have thickened; add water a spoon at a time until it's like thick pancake batter. Stir in the baking soda just before cooking.
Heat a over medium heat and brush with oil. Pour a ladle of batter and spread gently into a 12 cm circle. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is golden and the top looks dry, then flip and cook 2 minutes more. Serve warm with ketchup, green chutney or yogurt.
Kitchen notes
Grate or chop the vegetables very finely so the cheela holds together and cooks through.
Add a green chili and a pinch of red chili powder for adults.
Sprinkle a little grated cheese on top just before flipping for a cheesy version children love.
A quick, egg-free breakfast
Cheela usually means a pancake made from besan (gram flour), like our besan cheela. The suji version is softer and milder, which children often prefer. It needs no soaking or grinding, just ten minutes for the semolina to absorb the yogurt.
Vegetables that disappear
Finely grated carrot and chopped capsicum, onion and tomato cook into the pancake and add colour, sweetness and nutrition. Children who refuse vegetables on a plate rarely notice them here. Grated bottle gourd (lauki), spinach or sweet corn work too.
Tips for good cheelas
Keep the batter thick so the pancakes hold their shape. Spread it gently with the back of the ladle; thinner cheelas are crisper, thicker ones softer. Medium heat cooks them through without burning.
In the lunch box
Two cheelas rolled up with a little ketchup or cheese inside travel well and taste good at room temperature. See our school lunch box collection and kids’ breakfast collection for more ideas.
Questions people ask
Why is my cheela sticking to the pan?
The tawa wasn't hot enough or wasn't oiled. Heat it well, wipe it with an oiled cloth before each cheela, and don't flip too early.
Can I make the batter the night before?
Mix the suji and yogurt the night before and keep it in the fridge. Add the vegetables and baking soda in the morning.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 280
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
