Chickpea Flour / Besan

Also known asBesan · Gram Flour · Garbanzo Flour

Name: Chickpea flour, also called gram flour, besan or garbanzo flour — a pale yellow, fine, slightly nutty-smelling flour made by grinding dried chickpeas, in India usually from the small desi type. It is naturally gluten-free.

Description

Chickpea flour has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean and South Asia. In India, besan is a staple of Indian cooking, used to make pakoras, bhajis, kadhi, laddoos and savoury batters. In the Mediterranean, it makes socca in Nice, farinata in Genoa and panisse in Marseille, all simple flatbreads or fritters, and in Burma, a tofu-like set dish.

The flour has a distinct, slightly bitter, beany flavour when raw, which turns nutty when toasted, and it binds well, so it is a popular egg substitute in vegan cooking, mixed with water into a batter.

Main nutrition value

Chickpea flour is higher in protein and fibre than wheat flour, and provides folate, iron, magnesium and manganese, and is gluten-free.

How best to be consumed

Chickpea flour should be cooked, and is used in batters and flatbreads.

1. Whisk with water, salt and spices into a batter for pakoras, bhajis and fritters, and rest for 15 minutes.
2. Bake into socca or farinata, a thin, crisp, pan-baked chickpea pancake with olive oil and rosemary.
3. Use as a vegan egg substitute for omelettes and baking, mixed with water.
4. Toast lightly in a dry pan to reduce the raw bean taste.
5. Sift before using, and store in an airtight container.

Overconsumption could cause…

Chickpea flour is healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) in pulses, particularly if you are not used to eating them, so build up gradually and drink water.
2. Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes, and cross-reaction between chickpeas, lentils and peanuts in some.
3. Digestive upset and a raw, bitter taste if eaten uncooked, such as in raw batter or smoothies.
4. A lot of oil and calories in deep-fried pakoras and fritters.
5. Cross-contamination with wheat in some products, for people with coeliac disease, so check the label.

GroupsChickpeasLegume familyHigh fibreHigh proteinLow sodiumRich in folateRich in ironRich in magnesiumRich in potassiumIndian

Made fromKabuli Chickpeas

Related foodsBlack Chickpeas / Kala ChanaDesi ChickpeasHummusChickpea PastaRoasted ChickpeasMasoor Dal

Wikipedia — Gram flour, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_flour