Red Lentil Chilla Pancake with Tofu and Mushroom Filling

Red Lentil Chilla Pancake with Tofu and Mushroom Filling

 

By Namit Kathoria

 

Soaking time: Overnight

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 35-40 min

 

Serves 6 people.

Ingredients:

Chilla

½ red pepper diced

1-2 green chillies diced

½ teaspoon hot paprika

1 handful fresh coriander diced

½ teaspoon Himalayan pink rock salt

1 white onion sliced

1 small handful spinach

1 inch fresh ginger diced

½ inch fresh turmeric roughly diced/ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 cups red lentils (soaked overnight)

2 ½ - 2 ¾ vegetable stock (depending on constituency)

2 teaspoons coriander powder

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 teaspoons sodium bicarbonate

Olive oil for cooking

 

Filling

2 blocks (400g each) tofu drained and diced

250g mushrooms whole or sliced

½ teaspoon hot paprika

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon nigella seeds (black cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons tamari sauce

5 garlic cloves grated

1 white onion sliced

1 green pepper diced

1 – 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 – 1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil

 

Preparation:

1. Rinse the lentils, then soak them overnight.
2. Rinse again after soaking and drain the lentils.
3. Add all of the ingredients for the chilla mixture (except for the olive oil) and including 2½ cups vegetable stock to a blender. Place on a high setting to blend for about a minute. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides in between. Also it might be the case that you will have to do this in two batches depending on thrle capacity of your blender. Make sure the constituency is nice and runny, if it is not add in ¼ cup more of the vegetable stock.
4. Heat a non-stick pan on a medium to high heat putting on a few drops of the oil. Once it is warm put about ¾-1 cup of the mixture into the centre of the pan and swirl it out. Then flatten with a spatula so that the whole of the base of the pan is filled out. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Once you see that the bottom part has become crispy, put some more oil around the actual edges of the chilla and some into the centre. This way it way it will be easier to scrape underneath the edges and flip it over. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, then remove from the pan and put the cooked chilla to the side onto a plate.
5. Wipe down the base of the pan with a piece of kitchen towel to make sure there are no crumbs left. Add a little more oil and repeat step 4 until all of the chilla mixture is used up.
6. Whilst the chillas are being cooked, take a separate pan and put in a few drops of oil (mix the olive and sesame oils) with one slice of onion. Once it starts to sizzle add in the rest of the onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes until it becomes translucent.
7. Add in the garlic and a little bit more oil. Cook for about 30 seconds stirring (to prevent burning) until the fragrance is released.
8. Add in the seeds and cook for another 30 seconds.
9. Now add in all of the spices, the black pepper and a little bit more of the oil and cook for another 30 seconds.
10. Add in the mushrooms, the tofu, the green pepper and the tamari sauce. Cook for 6-10 more minutes, constantly stirring until the vegetables all look like they are nicely cooked and the tofu looks crispy.
11. Switch off the heat. Put some filling onto each chilla and serve.

 

Where does your protein come from?

It comes from a combination of the tofu and the lentils.

 

To get more inspiration for healthy plant-based recipes please see our new nutrition and recipe book “Life” which is due to come out in 2022.