RotiAI 
Besan cheela with dahi (بیسن چیلا + دہی) is about 325 calories per serving, where a serving is 2 cheelas plus 1/2 cup (about 120 g) of whole-milk yogurt. It is a savory chickpea-flour pancake that is high in protein for a vegetarian breakfast, quick to make, and lighter than a paratha when cooked with little oil.
Quick answer
- Calories: ~325 kcal per serving (2 cheelas + 1/2 cup dahi); likely range 300-390 kcal
- One cheela: ~125 kcal. 1/2 cup dahi: ~75 kcal
- Serves: 4 (the recipe makes 8 cheelas) · Cook time: 20 min
- Tags: vegetarian, high-protein, nashta (breakfast), kam-tel (low-oil)
Calories in Besan Cheela + Dahi: the count
~325 calories per serving. The recipe uses 2 cups of besan (about 200 g), 2 cups of yogurt, one small onion, one medium tomato, green chillies, coriander and cumin, with oil brushed on the pan at 1/2 teaspoon per cheela. Eight cheelas and four portions of yogurt make four servings: each is 2 cheelas (about 250 kcal) plus 1/2 cup of dahi (about 75 kcal). The gram flour is the biggest source, at roughly 100 kcal per cheela.
Why Besan Cheela + Dahi is a smart-calorie breakfast
- Besan is protein-rich. USDA lists chickpea flour at 22.4 g protein and 10.8 g fibre per 100 g, so a serving provides about 16 g of protein including the yogurt.
- Little oil. Cooked on a non-stick pan with a thin smear of oil, the cheela adds about 20 kcal of oil each.
- Yogurt adds protein for a modest cost. Half a cup of whole-milk dahi adds about 75 kcal and about 4 g of protein.
Besan Cheela + Dahi macros at a glance
Besan cheela + dahi is high-protein and fibre-friendly for a vegetarian breakfast. The gram flour supplies most of the protein, carbohydrate and fibre, the vegetables add a little volume, and the yogurt tops up the protein and fat. The oil is the main variable in the fat.
How Besan Cheela + Dahi fits a desi diet
At about 325 calories with around 16 g of protein, it is a filling, savory breakfast that is lighter than most fried options.
Want it lighter? Have one cheela and a small bowl of yogurt (about 160 kcal). Need more energy? Add a third cheela or a boiled egg.
Besan Cheela + Dahi: full macro breakdown
For one serving (2 thin cheelas, 1/2 cup whole-milk dahi, about 325 kcal):
| Macro | Approx. amount | % of calories |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | ~16 g (range 15-17 g) | ~20% |
| Carbohydrates | ~38 g (range 36-41 g) | ~47% |
| Fat | ~12 g (range 11-18 g) | ~33% |
| Fibre | ~6 g | n/a |
Besan is the standout. Per 100 g, USDA lists chickpea flour at 22.4 g protein against 13.2 g for whole-grain wheat flour, while the fibre is about the same (10.8 g vs 10.7 g). The fat is higher than in wheat flour (6.7 g vs 2.5 g per 100 g), so the cheela is not a fat-free food; the oil on the pan and the yogurt add more.
Besan Cheela + Dahi portion size comparison
| Version | What changes | Calories per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Light version | 1 cheela, 1/4 cup dahi | ~160 |
| Standard (this recipe) | 2 cheelas, 1/2 cup dahi | ~325 |
| Extra-filling version | 3 cheelas, 1/2 cup dahi | ~450 |
| With a boiled egg added | Standard + 1 large egg | ~400 |
| With paneer stuffing | 2 cheelas with 25 g paneer each (paneer value is our estimate) | ~470 |
Tips for a lighter Besan Cheela + Dahi
- Cook on a well-seasoned non-stick tawa. The oil is the part you control. Each 1/2 teaspoon is about 20 kcal; pouring on a tablespoon per cheela would add about 120 kcal each.
- Add grated vegetables to the batter. Grated carrot, spinach or cabbage adds volume and micronutrients for few calories.
- Choose plain dahi over sweetened or flavored yogurt. Flavored yogurts often contain added sugar, so check the label.
- Have one cheela if you’re not very active. One cheela with a bowl of dahi is already a light breakfast of about 200 kcal.
Calories in besan (chickpea flour) per 100 g
Raw besan has 387 kcal per 100 g, according to the USDA’s entry for chickpea flour (FDC 174288): 22.4 g protein, 57.8 g carbohydrate, 6.7 g fat and 10.8 g fibre. That is about 3.9 kcal per gram, so 50 g of dry besan is about 194 kcal before any oil, yogurt or vegetables are added. The cheelas on this page come to less per bite because the batter is mostly water.
Frequently asked questions about Besan Cheela + Dahi calories
How many calories are in besan cheela?
One cheela from this recipe is about 125 kcal. Two cheelas with 1/2 cup of whole-milk dahi come to about 325 kcal, with a likely range of 300-390 kcal depending on the oil and how much besan you use per cup.
Is besan cheela good for weight loss?
It can fit well. It is high in protein and fibre for its calories and cooks with little oil, which helps with fullness. Portion and oil still decide the total.
Is besan cheela good for diabetics?
Gram flour is often reported to have a lower glycemic index than refined wheat flour, but we have not calculated a glycemic figure for this dish, and portion size and the rest of the meal matter. If you manage diabetes, check with your doctor or dietitian.
Can I make besan cheela vegan?
Yes. Swap the dahi for a plant-based yogurt or skip it and add extra vegetables to the batter. The cheela itself has no dairy or eggs.
How does besan cheela compare to an omelette calorie-wise?
A two-egg omelette is roughly 185 kcal with a teaspoon of oil (USDA: 143 kcal per 100 g of raw egg, so about 143 kcal for two large eggs, plus the oil). Two cheelas with dahi at about 325 kcal is higher, but it brings more fibre and is vegetarian.
How we calculate besan cheela calories
These numbers are estimates, not laboratory values. We converted the recipe to grams and added each ingredient using per-100 g values from USDA FoodData Central: chickpea flour (besan) FDC 174288, plain whole-milk yogurt 171284, onion 170000, tomato 170457, peanut oil 171410 (used as a proxy for cooking oil), and hard-boiled egg 173424 for the egg option. Cumin, green chillies and coriander have no record we checked and are labelled estimates; together they add under 15 kcal for the whole batch. Paneer is also an estimate.
Our assumptions: 2 cups of besan is about 200 g (USDA lists 92 g per cup, but a scooped cup is heavier, so we use 184-220 g for the range); 2 cups of yogurt is about 490 g; the oil is 1/2 teaspoon per cheela (about 18 g for 8 cheelas, range 14-40 g, the top end allowing for a much heavier hand with the oil); one small onion is 70 g and one medium tomato 123 g; the recipe makes 8 cheelas, split evenly. The likely range of 300-390 kcal comes from the besan weight and the oil. Your cheela size, pan and yogurt will move the result, so weigh your food for the closest figure. This is general nutrition information, not medical or dietary advice.
Related reading on Besan Cheela + Dahi
- Besan Cheela + Dahi recipe — the full step-by-step method
- Calories in Anda Bhurji + Roti — a comparably high-protein egg-based alternative
- Calories in Bhindi + Roti — another light, kam-tel vegetarian option
Get the exact calorie count for Besan Cheela + Dahi
The oil on the tawa and how much yogurt you serve are the main variables. RotiAI computes the kcal for your besan cheela + dahi, and Sehat Mode builds high-protein breakfasts like this into a personalized desi diet plan.
