Put the chickpea flour in a mixing bowl. Add water - 1/2 cup at a time till you get beaten eggs or dosa like consistency. Mix well to make sure there are no lumps.
Now add all the vegetables and herbs. Mix nicely.
Finally, add the spices and salt. Mix and keep aside.
Heat a griddle or flat pan. Apply some oil if using. Take around 1 ladle full of batter and pour on the pan. Gently spread on the pan with the backside of the ladle.
Cook till the top side becomes dry and looks cooked. Flip the cheela with the help of a flat spatula. You may put on a lid on the pan to fasten the process.
Now, cook the other side also till it gets golden brown spots.
Take out on a plate and serve with your favorite chutney, dip, raita or just a cup of tea.
Notes
You can also add the puree of any blanched vegetable like spinach, beetroot, peas to make it more nutritious.
If you are a vegetarian, add grated paneer to make it richer in protein. Vegans may add grated tofu.
Instead of water, you can also mix any leftover dal with the chickpea flour and make cheela with it.
Some people complain that they don’t like the taste or smell of chickpea flour. If you slightly roast the chickpea flour in a pan before mixing it with water, that peculiar taste of besan which some people don’t like will go away.