Gram flour

A sack of gram flour

Not to be confused with Graham flour

Gram flour is a flour made from ground chana dal, a legume otherwise known as chickpeas.^[1] It is also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, or besan (Bengali: বেসন beshon). Used in many countries, it is a staple ingredient in Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines, and, in the form of a paste with water or yoghurt, a popular facial exfoliant in the Indian Subcontinent.^[2] Moreover, when mixed with an equal proportion of water, can be used as an egg-replacer in vegan cooking.^[3]

Gram flour contains a high proportion of carbohydrates^[4] but no gluten.^[5] Despite this, in comparison to other flours, it has a relatively high proportion of protein.^[6]

Although pronounced similarly in American English, gram flour is unrelated to graham flour.

Dishes

In other parts of South and Southeast Asia the flour is used to make bonda, pakoras, papadums, onion bhajis, Burmese tofu, and jidou liangfen. It is used in Italian cuisine to make farinata and in French cuisine to make socca.

If parboiled potatoes are rolled in the flour prior to roasting they take on a golden colour and a crisp texture.

How to make

1. Take pre-cooked chickpeas, rinse thoroughly and drain.

2. Spread evenly across an un-greased baking tray and cook on medium heat for 2–3 hours then turn off oven and leave overnight to cool.

3. Place into a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine consistency.

See also

• Chickpea
• Multilingual list of Indian Vegetables, spices & grains

Notes

1. ^ Complete Indian Cooking, Sterling Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0600599477.
2. ^ "What is gram flour?". Blurtit.com. http://www.blurtit.com/q123457.html. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 
3. ^ The Vegan Society. "Egg Substitutes". Vegansociety.com. http://www.vegansociety.com/food/catering_and_cookery/eggfree.php. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 
4. ^ "Chickpea flour (besan)". Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts and Calorie Counter. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c2194.html. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 
5. ^ "Grains and Flours Glossary: Besan". Celiac Sprue Association. http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 
6. ^ "Chickpea flour (besan)". Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts and Calorie Counter. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c2194.html. Retrieved 2007-09-29. 

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