Savory Sourdough Discard Pancakes Indian-Style Chillas
Crispy Indian-Style Savory Pancakes Featuring Sourdough Discard Starter, Minced Garden Veggies, Spices, and a Flash Soda Rise
These modern sourdough discard chillas combine a tangy wild-yeast batter with finely minced onions, tomatoes, peppers, and aromatic Indian spices.
The secret is folding a tiny pinch of baking soda into the acidic batter right before cooking to release carbon dioxide bubbles, transforming the dense mixture into lacy, crispy pancakes. Enjoy the recipe!
Recipe
- Formulate Spiced Batter: Whisk unfed sourdough discard with yogurt and lemon juice. Fold in finely minced onion, tomato, green bell pepper, ginger, garlic, bird’s eye chili, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, and fresh coriander.
- Flash-Aeromate with Soda: Heat a non-stick skillet or tawa over medium heat and oil lightly. Just before ladling, stir a single pinch of baking soda rapidly into the batter until airy and bubbly.
- Griddle Chillas: Pour ⅓ cup of batter onto the hot skillet, spiral out into a 6-inch disc, and drizzle with coconut oil. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the underside is deep golden-brown.
- Flip & Serve: Flip the pancake and cook for 1–2 minutes until cooked through. Repeat for the remaining batch and serve screaming hot with cool yogurt or masala chai!
💡 Chef Notes & Tips
- Batter Consistency: If your sourdough discard is exceptionally thick, loosen it with 1–2 tablespoons of water so it pours and spreads smoothly like standard crêpe batter.
- Vegan Adaptation: Omit the dairy yogurt entirely or substitute with an unsweetened coconut-milk yogurt alternative, keeping all frying steps plant-based with coconut oil.
