Spicy Besan Omelette

 Greetings,

Here's a perfect brunch recipe to pair with your favourite salad or stir-fried or roasted veggies! The besan or chickpea omelette is one that takes a while to make when doing a whole batch, but the wait is worth it. It is important that the batter cooks through on both sides, so it isn't a recipe that can be rushed.

Ingredients

Besan/chickpea flour: 

for 2 people: 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water

for 3 people: 3/4 cup flour to 1 cup water

for 8-9 omelettes: 1 cup flour to 1 1/4  cup water

So just add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup more water to flour. For a thicker omelette add 1/4 cup.

2 tsp flax meal

1/2 tsp salt (pink or sea salt or black salt for the sulfuric egg taste)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili flakes

1 pinch dried thyme or Italian seasoning

2 pimento peppers or other

1/2 thumb ginger

1 onion

cloves of garlic 

1 stalk celery (optional)

cooking oil

(based on how much omelettes you are making, adjust your onion and such to suit)

Method

1. Mix/whisk flour, water, flax, salt, turmeric, cumin, cumin, chili flakes, thyme/Italian seasoning in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Finely chop the onion, peppers, celery, greens. Finely grate the garlic and garlic.

3. In a frying pan with a dribble of oil, saute the pimento, onion, celery and ginger.  Spread them evenly around the pan, then scoop a 1/4 cup of batter and evenly cover the fried seasonings, making a circle.

NOTE: You are not using all of these fresh seasonings, as you will add a little or a generous amount of each to every omelette you make.

4. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat before you flip. the top will seal over and the batter firm up. When you insert the spatula underneath, it should all stay together like a pancake, that's how you know for sure that it can flip. Give it time to brown nicely. After flipping, allow it another 5-10 minutes to brown on the other side.

Do this for each omelette.

I also fry up greens, eggplant, tomato, okra or chickpeas to go with the omelettes if doing brunch, or pair with a salad for breakfast.

Fulljoy!

Sis Ila Addis

Veggie Pizza with Savory Chickpea Flat Crust

Aside from my quinoa soup this is my favourite recipe, It is very simple once you get the hang of the dough, which is not a fluffy pizza crust, it is flat, crunchy and savory because of the chick pea flour. This can be a gluten free recipe like the soup if you substitute the spelt with more chickpea flour. It is dairy free and great for those with allergies or who simply want to lost weight but still like to eat delicious warm meals.


Large Crust

1 ½ cup garbanzo/chickpea flour
1 cup spelt flour (plus extra for kneading)
¾ cup warm water
1/4 cup Coconut or olive oil with extra for pizza pan
1.5 tbsp flax meal

1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano


Small crust 

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup spelt
1/8 cup oil
¼ cup + 1/8 cup warm water
1.5 tbs flax meal

1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano



Pizza toppings

Seasonings 

2-3 large spoons full Tomato paste (Matouks in the jar or homemade using blended sundried tomatoes and salt and a slash of apple cider vinegar)

3 stalks chive, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced or ringed
2 pimento peppers or the like, chopped
2 -5 clove garlic, chopped fine (optional)
1-2 big leaf of shadon beni/cilantro/parsley, chopped (optional)

8 leaves basil (optional)

Dried oregano, basil or Italian seasoning, paprika

Cheeze: nutritional yeast spread all over

Any combination of your favourite seasonings and herbs is fine! Make this recipe your own!

Veggie Toppings

And any combination of vegetables you have, for example:

3 sliced Tomatoes
1 cup sliced Pineapple
1/4 thinly sliced Eggplant
3 leaves chopped pakchoi or other greens

Or

1/2 cup each shredded or grated Zucchini and Chayote/Chocho.Christophene
2-3 diced tomatoes
2 large leaves pakchoi or kale
½ small bell pepper sliced

Or

½ cup grated pumpkin
Chopped kale
Diced pineapple
Thinly sliced Eggplant

Other:
Pizza pan or baking dish
Baking or wax paper
large bowl
rolling pin
kitchen towel

spoon


Method:

Prepare the crust first

Combine dry ingredients well with spoon: flour, salt and dried seasonings and flax meal
Add the oil to flour mixture.

You will add the water to this and mix with a spoon first and then use your hands when the flour is all wet. The dough should be moist but not sticky and sticking to your fingers. If it becomes sticky then use sprinkles of spelt/chickpea flour to make the right consistency. A full cup of water shouldn’t be needed. Be careful to add gradually. If too sticky then add a handful of flour.

It doesn’t take too long to knead. It should be smooth, soft, stretchy, warm and moist, but not wet or too dry. Don’t add too much extra flour at this point, let it be firm and moist. Do that when it is time to knead. Cover with a towel while you prepare the veggies.

When it is time to roll out I use my hands and make a flat circle out of the dough first, as I massage away all cracks along the edges.

On your counter top, place two sheets of baking paper forming a square to have room to make the flat circle of dough. You need only one sheet for the second recipe which is less flour. Cover the parchment paper and the dough in flour. Use the rolling pin and flatten the dough onto paper in a nice large circle using your four fingers when necessary to keep the edges together. When the circle has gotten a little wider and flatter it will stick to the paper, so don’t over roll.

When ready to place on baking pan pick up the paper and flip the circle onto the greased pizza pan and carefully peel the baking sheet off the back. Use your hands to further press dough around the pan. Make sure dough is not too thin or it will break easily when finished.
Do not bake with paper or it will stick. 

Spread tomato paste on first with a large spoon.

Cover that paste with the finely chopped seasonings: onion garlic chive pimento and shadon beni/cilantro/culantro

Evenly spread the vegetable toppings - put the shredded toppings then tomato and eggplant. Add nutritional yeast to top along with dried basil and paprika.

Bake pizza at medium heat of 150 C for 15-20 minutes or til edges are golden brown.

You may grate some nut cheeze over everything when it comes out and allow to cool a bit before slicing and serving.

Makes four big slices or eight smaller.


My favourite part of this pizza is the crust. It's soft and yet has a slight crunchy texture as well because of the chickpea flour.

 

  

I used to make this pizza without nutritional yeast before I was able to purchase it, so you can make it without the cheeze as shown below

       

This last picture you can keep for a quick recipe reference.

Please tag me or send me photos of your pizza to share on the IG page @italpeople!

Stay Healthy and Irie!

Ila Addis