Rava chilla is a breakfast recipe. In the native languages, we refer to semolina as rava or suji. It’s versatile. Whatever you plan to make using semolina, it’s always fantastic.


The outcome is colourful, tempting & equally delicious. The reason is the off-white & grainy texture—for instance, suji ka halwa (semolina pudding). The halwa is loaded with dry fruits, desi ghee & sometimes mawa & Kesar too.

All in all, semolina is an essential cooking ingredient heavily used worldwide. With this in mind, we are sharing a straightforward rava chilla recipe today. Let’s hear it out.

Why it’s called rava chilla?

Rava chilla means round & soft pancake made using semolina batter. The batter contains flavouring items, vegetables & masala. Further, it is shallow fried in cooking oil. That’s your rava chilla breakfast.

Chilla recipes originated in Chhattisgarh. Moreover, it’s a popular tribal food along with khichdi, khadi & rice varieties. But, surprisingly, rice is the staple diet of this Indian state – the reason rice heavily dominates Chhattisgarh’s food culture.

Now that we know what rava chilla is & where it belongs, let’s consider making it.

Perfectly round chilla

Making a perfectly round shape chilla requires years of cooking experience. Although this may be true, a beginner can give a perfectly round shape. So let me teach you how.

Usually, we pour the batter into the pan and try to make a round shape. Like I said above, it requires expertise. Still, this method yields an approximate round chilla, not the perfect round one.

For this, you need a round steel cake ring or pot stand. Okay, let me help you figure out this. Take a look at the image below.

steel rings as mould to make round chilla

 

The pot rings have a fixed size, as you can see above. However, if you are using a cake ring, it has to be smaller. Most importantly, the ring must not have bottoms. It must be hollow. The idea behind using a metal ring is that it can hold the batter, giving you a perfect circular shape chilla. I have done this in one of my chilla recipes.

Above all, if you don’t want to use a ring, then use a mould. Yes, readymade moulds are available in the market, or you can order them online.

Grease the ring or mould using cooking oil and put it on the frying pan. Then pour the batter into it. Level up using a spoon or spatula. Carefully lift the mould upwards. Before lifting the mould, ensure the chilla’s bottom is fried correctly. Your perfectly round suji chilla is ready.

Move the ring or mould, so the chilla doesn’t stick to it. If it sticks, you won’t be able to lift the ring or the mould whatever you use. On the other hand, if the ring or mould is not appropriately greased, the batter will stick to it, making it difficult to separate.

Rava Chilla Extra Shots

Read these tips before you begin making your chilla.

  • These chillas can be made using gram flour, aka besan too. Try it.
  • Grease the pan properly before pouring the batter to avoid sticking.
  • Use two spatulae to shape your chilla. You can also use a ring or mould.
  • Grease the ring or mould so that batter doesn’t stick. It comes out easily.
  • You can use butter or ghee to fry chilla instead of cooking oil.

Rava Chilla FAQs

Is chilla a healthy breakfast?

Yes, it is a healthy breakfast recipe. It doesn’t contain all-purpose flour because the base of the batter is made using rava, aka semolina. Hence, everyone can eat it.

How’s the taste of the chilla?

The taste is mildly spicy. You will also get the onion, tomato, rava and curd flavour altogether. Serve it with curd, pickle or chutney to enhance the taste even more.

Can kids eat them?

Of course, kids can eat them. Kids will love this food item. Give them in their school lunch box. It will help them stay full till they return home. But, above all, home-cooked chillas are far better than packaged food items.

Can I make using besan?

Yes, you can make these chillas using besan, aka gram flour. I have tried doing this. However, Besan is a bit heavy flour compared to rava; hence, ensure you add the correct quantity.

Is curd necessary?

Yes, the curd is an essential ingredient here. It makes a smooth batter and, most importantly, helps the batter rise. In short, it integrates enough air pockets in the batter, just like in the cakes.

Can we skip ginger, garlic and onion?

Yes, you can skip ginger, garlic and onion altogether. Doing this will give you the Jain version of these chillas.

Have a look at other recipes like Mix Vegetable Idli and Vermicelli Upma.