Chana Dal ‘Pancakes’
This recipe has been adapted from one courtesy of Goodness Foods. Very low glycaemic load and therefore great for belly-fat loss, chana dal is one of the best foods for balancing blood sugar. The pancakes can be eaten as a quick snack with some pickles, with a curry or served with rice and/or a salad. They are vegan (so milk and egg-free), wheat-free, low in fat, high in protein and fibre and are really easy to make.
Ingredients (makes about 15 small ones)
200g chana dal (Yellow split peas. Available from supermarkets often in the Asian or world foods section)
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
1 red chilli pepper – chopped
Salt to taste
Olive oil
Wash the chana then leave to soak in plenty of water for at least six hours (or overnight). Drain and place the chana into a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Whizz for about 30 seconds until generally chopped up. Then keep whizzing while adding cold water until you get a ‘sloppy porridge’ consistency.
Put enough oil for shallow frying into a large frying pan and heat using a medium flame. When hot, start frying the pancakes by putting in 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time (you can usually get four or five pancakes in at one time). Cook for about 2-3 minutes then turn over using a spatula and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Drain on some kitchen towel. They’re great hot or cold and any left over can be frozen, wrapped in foil. Just pop them in a medium oven for 15 minutes to warm through.
TIP: You can make a thinner pancake than this that is great to use as a wrap. Simply use 225g gram (chickpea) flour and a tsp of baking powder instead.
This recipe is taken from my wheat and dairy free recipe book How To Eat Well.