This recipe is being reproduced from the following website: link
Note: Sooji (or suuji) is the same as semolina, which is a grain I imagine could be found at a natural foods store? It's easily found here!
This a savory pancake that tastes great cooked the traditional way as well as altered for children. This is typically eaten for breakfast or for brunch. I use the base of this pancake to sneak veggies into my kids. The veggies are grated so thin they can barely see them. This is simple and delicious way to start off your day.
Recipe Story
This recipe is based off the Sindhi dish of Chilo. Traditionally, the dish uses chappati flour mixed with water, however, I (well really my mom) have altered it to use semolina with yogurt. This give is a tangy taste and it cooks quicker than the traditional recipe. This dish is so easy that I taught it to my son's nanny who is Guatemalan. She used to make this for my son all of the time and she liked it so much she would make it at home for her own family.
Ingredients
2 Cups Suji (Semolina)
2 Cups Plain Yogurt
Salt
Kid Friendly:
1 finely grated yellow squash
1 finely grated carrot
OR
Traditional:
Half a chopped onion
2 finely chopped medium tomatoes
Handful of chopped cilantro
Green Chilis
How to make Suji ka Chilo (Savoury Veggie Pancake)
- Combine the Suji (semolina) and yogurt and let it sit for 20 minutes
- While the Suji mixture is settling together chop or grate your veggies. By the time you are done with chopping and perhaps even some of the clean up if you are quick your mixture will be ready. If you are making the kid friendly version please use a very fine grater since these don't take long to cook and you want the veggies to be thin otherwise theY will taste raw.
- Add water to the batter because the mixture will have thickened and you want the consistency to be spreadable. The amount of water will depend on how thick the batter has gotten.
- Add salt and the veggies to the batter and mix
- Heat a pan and coat with oil
- Once the pan is hot add a scoop full of the batter and spread it around so that it's not too thick
- Do not flip until the bottom is cooked and most of the batter is dried up (2-3 minutes - exact time will depend on how powerful your stove is)
- Flip your pancake and cook for a couple more minutes
- It's ready to serve - eat it plain, with chutney, or ketchup
If you are making the Kid Friendly version once you have cooked theirs add some chilies and cilantro to the batter and it will add a little spice and be great for you to eat too!
Note: Based on our experience, we would add a pinch or two of cumin and chili powder to give it some zing.
This was a great recipe! Easy to follow; the only semi-time intensive part was chopping a few vegetables. It was verryyyyyy filling (semolina apparently expands in the belly!)
Enjoy!
