Gram Flour Pancakes

Easy Whizzy Gram Flour Pancakes

These gram flour pancakes are pretty different from traditional pancakes. Savory and mildly spicy, they make an excellent high-fiber, gluten-free starter or snack. Gram flour pancake/cheela is a popular breakfast dish in India. The basic variant of this pancake can be served as a side flatbread and pairs well with tomato chutney. For a fancier twist, add any veggies of your choice and top with freshly grated paneer.

Traditionally, this pancake is made from gram flour; however, you can substitute it with chickpea (garbanzo) flour. Chickpea flour has a similar flavor profile to gram flour, though it is made from split white chickpeas as opposed to split brown chickpeas.

Chickpea fiber is about 75% insoluble, meaning the skin covering the bean passes through the colon undigested, thickening stools significantly and resulting in a gratifying morning expulsion. Like many high-fiber foods, beans have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, possibly due to the gallbladder flushing action.

The high protein content of beans aids muscle tissue regeneration as winter hibernation gives way to outdoor activities. Tryptophan levels in chickpeas are higher than in other legumes, and this vital amino acid helps regulate sleep and mood, adding a relaxing, comforting element to meals.