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Chickpea Flour Crepes with Tomato Yogurt

6 thin chickpea crepes with tomato yogurt; 3 crepes and half the yogurt mixture per person · Active 30 min · Total 1 hr 5 min

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Chickpea flour makes a thin, egg-free batter that can be cooked in a small frying pan. It needs a rest before the first crepe, then a little patience before turning. Tomato and thick yogurt make a cool accompaniment. This is a useful way to practice dividing batter into equal portions: a measured ladle makes six manageable crepes instead of one thick pancake and several very small ones.

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Original hand-drawn illustration of chickpea flour crepes with tomato yogurt.

A rested batter spreads more predictably

Whisk water into the flour gradually so you can work out the lumps before the mixture becomes thin. The batter should pour easily from a jug. Let it stand for 15 minutes, then whisk again because some flour settles. A rest changes the feel, but it does not cook the raw flour. Do not taste the batter. Keep the pan over medium heat and brush it lightly with the measured oil rather than pouring a fresh spoonful in for every crepe. A small pan is easier to tilt than a large heavy skillet.

Wait for the edge to release

Pour one-sixth of the batter into the center and tilt immediately to spread a thin round. At first it will look too delicate to turn. Leave it until the top loses its wet shine and the edge begins to lift, then slide a broad spatula underneath. The second side needs less time. A torn first crepe is still food if fully cooked; lowering the heat slightly or waiting another few seconds can make the next turn easier. Keep finished crepes on a clean plate while the rest cook. Stir tomato into yogurt shortly before eating so its juice does not thin the whole batch during a long wait.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chickpea flour/besan (120 g)
  • 1 cup drinking water (240 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml/about 13.5 g), use 5 ml in batter and 10 ml for all pan brushing
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (1 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), divided
  • 1 1/3 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt (300 g)
  • 1 large ripe tomato, washed and diced (200 g)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml/about 15 g)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (5 g)

Set out

Stovetop, 8-in/20-cm nonstick frying pan, Mixing bowl and whisk, Measuring jug, Kitchen scale or 1/4 cup measure, Broad flexible spatula, Pastry brush, Clean plate, Knife and board, Separate small bowl for tomato yogurt

Allergens

Milk, Chickpeas; check flour for wheat cross-contact and any yogurt substitution for soy. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Whisk chickpea flour, cumin and half the salt with the water, adding water gradually. Whisk in 5 ml oil and rest 15 minutes. Stir yogurt, tomato, lemon, parsley and remaining salt in a separate clean bowl near serving time.
  2. Heat the pan over medium heat and brush lightly with oil from the remaining 10 ml allowance. Whisk batter again and divide by weight or eye into 6 equal portions, about 60 g each. Pour one portion into the pan and tilt quickly to make a thin round about 7 in/18 cm across.
  3. Cook 1 1/2–2 minutes until the top looks dry and the edge lifts. Turn carefully and cook 1–1 1/2 minutes until both sides are lightly golden and no wet raw batter remains. Repeat for all 6, using the measured brushing oil across the batches. Lower heat if dark spots form before the top dries.
  4. Serve 3 fully cooked crepes per person with half the tomato yogurt. No extra butter or sauce is required.

A beginner skill to practice

Practice one gentle pan tilt and one patient turn. A thin measured portion is easier to cook through than a thick ladleful.

A useful detail

The 65-minute total includes 15 minutes batter resting and 6 sequential pan batches. Thick crepes take longer; spread the stated batter thinly. Raw chickpea flour must be cooked, even though this batter has no egg.

Another way

  • Use 200 g washed diced cucumber instead of tomato in the yogurt; drain loose cucumber juice before mixing. The nutrition estimate changes.
  • Use 300 g plain unsweetened soy yogurt only if suitable; its protein level and allergens can differ markedly, so it needs its own calculation.

Keep it well

Refrigerate cooked crepes and tomato yogurt separately within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below. Use within 2 days. Reheat crepes to 165°F/74°C if serving hot; keep the yogurt cold. Do not save raw batter beyond the day it is mixed.