Besan Puda

Growing up rainy day treats meant pakoras or pudas – never did kids hope for rain as much as we did. A besan da puda topped it with some Maggi Chili Sauce and you’re in heaven. Throw in a couple cups of chai after and food coma has been achieved!

When I grew up we had a very different notion of what was considered healthy. You routinely heard your grandmother say things like, “Oh have just one, it’s healthy.” Why was a besan puda healthy? Because of all of the veggies, it was cooked in oil versus ghee, and you ate it with yogurt (lol).

Pudas are crispy, savory, and so amazingly flavorful, that just thinking about them makes my mouth water. They’re incredibly easy to make and don’t need a lot of garnish or sides, which means a short time to table. As much as I adore Punjabi food, it’s traditionally time consuming and thus not always my go-to when I’m hangry. Luckily, this is one of my go-to’s when I’m craving something Punjabi but not willing to put in a load of effort.

They don’t reheat all that well, so unfortunately, it’s best to make these fresh. That said, I do keep the batter in the fridge for up to 3 days. It does separate a bit, so just stir and you’re off to the races.

Love brunch as much as we do? Try these:

Besan Puda

Course: Breakfast, Appetizers, Snacks, BrunchCuisine: PunjabiDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup besan

• 1 tbsp chili flake

• 2 tbsp cumin, ground

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground

• 2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 medium-sized onion, diced

• 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped

• 2 tbsp ginger, finely minced

• 1 chili pepper, diced

• Oil to grease pan

Equipment/Specialty Items

• BesanBesan
• Cumin SeedsCumin Seeds
• Coriander SeedsCoriander Seeds

Directions

• Mix:
• In a large bowl, combine besan, chili flakes, ground cumin, ground coriander seeds, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
• Add in water and whisk till smooth.
• Mix in onion, cilantro, ginger, and chili pepper.
• Cook:
• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Ladle batter into the skillet (1/4-1/2 cup per puda).
• Make sure to even out the batter once it’s in the frying pan to ensure even cooking. Like you would with a pancake.
• Flip puda after bubbles rise to surface, after 2 to 4 minutes.
• Make sure to keep the skillet well oiled.
• Crisp on both sides.
• Serve:
• Serve hot. Accompanies well with raita, plain yogurt, sweet chili sauce, or ketchup.

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