Paltrow’s version of Besan chilla (Instagram@gwynethpaltrow)
The famous American actor who starred in superhero Iron Man and Avenger series Gwyneth Paltrow recently shared her take on besan chilla, calling it “savoury Indian chilla pancakes” as part of her recurring #boyfriendbreakfast series. What made Paltrow’s video interesting was the way she introduced a very familiar Indian dish to an audience that may know it as a “savoury Indian chilla pancake”. In most Indian homes, besan ka chilla is a familiar breakfast staple. But did you ever imagine this humble desi dish making its way onto a Hollywood kitchen counter? And while the name may sound unfamiliar to some of her followers, the dish itself is anything but new for millions of Indians. For an Indian household, there is nothing exotic about besan chilla. The dish is extremely common in India and is made from gram flour. Some people love to add vegetables and paneer to make it protein-friendly along with herbs and spices mixed into the batter. Chilla is quick to make as unlike dosa, it doesn’t rely on a fermented batter. And that flexibility is probably one of the reasons the dish translates so easily across the globe. The surprise wasn’t necessarily that a Hollywood celebrity was eating Indian food. Indian cuisine has been part of global food culture for many decades. Her recipe also stayed reasonably close to India. She used besan, spices, onions, tomatoes and ginger, all ingredients that would be instantly recognisable in many Indian kitchens. A different serving style In other words, the dish doesn’t need a Hollywood makeover to be versatile. It already was.
