Paneer Besan Ka Cheela

Paneer Besan Ka Cheela   is   a very popular and traditional Indian breakfast and evening snack that is easy to prepare. It is a unique recipe that is a great breakfast alternative for parathas and regular roti sabzi.  This dish looks similar to an omelette.  This is a very delicious and appetizing dish made with mixing onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, paneer pieces and carom seeds (ajwain) in a batter of besan flour (gram flour) and then pan fried on a hot griddle.

Cheela is a Hindi word which means pancakes made with lentils or with flour batter. The goodness of besan is churned into a thin paste and then shallow fired into cheelas. The besan cheela is great pick for Indian breakfast and is very family friendly recipe and one of the best comfort foods. The easy to make recipe takes very little time to be prepared once the ingredients are ready.  There are many variations of cheela that can be prepared. Some are Aloo Cheela Chana Chaat, Cheese Cheela, Potato Green Peas Cheela, Sago Cheela, etc.

Paneer or cottage cheese is the vegetarian's protein replacement instead of meat. Paneer is an Indian cheese which is used in many recipes for appetizers, main courses, desserts and classic Indian dishes like kormas, curries etc. Paneer is very easy to make at home. It is a popular indigenous dairy product of India, is similar to an unripen variety of soft cheese. Paneer is one of the rich source of proteins for most vegetarians.  It holds its shape well and doesn’t melt, hence you can saute it, grill or crumble/ grate and just do about anything to add in your dishes. Paneer also happens to be one of the easiest cheeses to make at home, requiring nothing more than milk and lemon juice. Some of the Paneer dishes are Paneer Butter Masala, Chilli Paneer, mattar paneer, paneer pakora, paneer amritsari, paneer spring rolls, paneer and spinach wonton...

Besan is made by grinding the Bengal gram or Channa dal to a fine smooth powder that has a fantastic nutty flavor. It is the purest form of whole chana dal and ideally used in preparing a variety of sweet and savory dishes in Indian cooking (sweet dishes, snacks and curries) such as Bhajjis, Pakoras, Dhokla, Sev, Besan Ladoo, Boondi, Rajasthani Gatta Curry, Besan Sooji Dosa, Coriander and Besan Curry, Bhakarwadi, Besan ki Burfi, etc.

Preparation Tips:

• Spread the batter on the pan only when it is properly heated, because if the pan is not fully heated the batter may stick to it.


• Cook the Cheela at a medium flame. On high flame the cheela will blacken very soon without getting properly cooked.


• You can add vegetables like grated carrot, chopped spinach etc. according to your taste to the Cheela.

Health Tips:

• Paneer is a great source of calcium, which is helpful in maintaining strong teeth and bones.


• Vitamins B complex, present in paneer, are essential for the formation and strengthening of cartilage in children, women (pregnant and lactating) and men.


• paneer is rich in protein, vitamin B12, and calcium and easier to digest than other cheeses.


• Paneer has the health benefit of preventing osteoporosis, which is a curse of old age and when eaten in moderation could help to reduce weight.


• Paneer is a good source o protein and it reduces cancer.


• Paneer also gives the health benefits of reducing the development of insulin resistance syndrome.


• Besan contains a high proportion of carbohydrates and rich in protein than other flours.


• Besan is a highly nutrition food which provides us with lots of health benefits. Besan can be used for face, skin and hair, to remove tan and reduce oiliness.

This Paneer besan cheela combined with grated paneer is a healthy twist to dish rich and also satisfies your rumbling appetite and craving for more.