>Hintha at 16:43, 22 September 2021

2021-09-22T16:43:06Z

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{{Short description|Pulse flour}}{{for|the North American wholewheat flour|graham flour}}

{{nutritionalvalue | name=Gram flour | image=File:Gram flour AvL.jpg | kJ=1619 | protein=22 g | water=10 g | fat=6 g | carbs=57 g | fiber=10 g | | sugars=10 g | iron_mg=4 | calcium_mg=45 |magnesium_mg=166 | phosphorus_mg=318 | potassium_mg=846 | zinc_mg=2 | folate_ug=437 | selenium_ug=8 | niacin_mg=1 | sodium_mg=64 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}

'''Gram flour''' or '''besan''' is a [[pulse (legume)|pulse]] [[flour]] made from a type of ground [[chickpea]] called the [[gram chickpea]]. It is a staple ingredient in the cuisine of the [[Indian subcontinent]], including in [[Indian cuisine|Indian]], [[Bangladeshi cuisine|Bangladeshi]], [[Burmese cuisine|Burmese]], [[Nepali cuisine|Nepali]], [[Pakistani cuisine|Pakistani]], and [[Sri Lankan cuisine|Sri Lankan]] cuisines.

== Characteristics ==
Gram flour contains a high proportion of [[carbohydrates]],<ref name="Chickpea flour besan">{{cite web | title= Chickpea flour (besan) | work= Nutrition Data: Nutrition Facts and Calorie Counter |
url= http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c2194.html | access-date=2007-09-29}}</ref> higher fiber relative to other flours, no [[gluten]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Is it Gluten-Free: Gram Flour|url=https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/is-it-gluten-free/gram-flour/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071003140743/http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php|archive-date=2007-10-03|access-date=2007-09-29|work=Beyond Celiac}}</ref> and a higher proportion of [[protein]] than other flours.<ref name="Chickpea flour besan"/>

==Dishes==

===India===
Gram flour is in popular use in the [[Indian subcontinent]], where it is used to make the following:
{{Columns-list|colwidth=10em|
* A variety of [[List of snack foods from the Indian subcontinent|snacks]]
* [[Sev (food)|Sev]]
* [[Bhajji]]s
* [[Bikaneri Bhujia]]
* [[Bonda]]
* [[Boondi]]
* [[Chakli]]
* [[Pancake#India|Chila//Dhirda]] (besan dosa)
* [[Dhokla]]/[[Khaman]]
* [[Kadhi]]
* [[Jhunka|Zunka/Pithala/Pithla]]
* [[Laddu]]
* [[Soan papdi]]
* [[Mysore pak]]
* [[Pakora]]s
* [[Papadum]]s
* [[Patra (dish)|Patra]]
}}

In [[Andhra Pradesh]], it is used in a [[curry]] with gram flour cakes called Senaga Pindi Kura ({{lang-te|శెనగ పిండి కూర}}) and is eaten with [[Chapati]] or [[Puri (food)|Puri]], mostly during winter for breakfast.<ref>{{cite web|title=Senagapindi Kura (Onion curry with Besan)|url=http://www.andhrakitchen.com/showrecipe.php?id%3D1119 |access-date=January 6, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106220251/http://www.andhrakitchen.com/showrecipe.php?id=1119 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 }}</ref> Chila (or chilla), a [[pancake]] made with gram flour [[Batter (cooking)|batter]], is a popular [[street food]] in India.

===Southeast and East Asia===
Gram flour, which is called ''pe hmont'' (ပဲမှုန့်, lit. 'bean flour') in [[Burmese language|Burmese]], is commonly used in [[Burmese cuisine]]. Roasted gram flour is commonly added to season [[Burmese salads]], and is the principal ingredient of [[Burmese tofu]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Aye|first=MiMi|url=|title=Mandalay: Recipes and Tales from a Burmese Kitchen|date=2019-06-13|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4729-5948-5|language=en}}</ref> Roasted gram flour is also used to thicken several noodle soup dishes, including [[mohinga]] and [[ohn no khao swè]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coconut Noodles Recipe|url=https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12024-coconut-noodles|access-date=2021-09-22|website=NYT Cooking|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Gram flour is also used to make ''[[jidou liangfen]]'', a Yunnanese dish similar to Burmese tofu salad.

===Southern Europe===
Along the coast of the [[Ligurian Sea]], flour made from garbanzo beans, which are a different variety of chickpea closely related to Bengal gram, is used to make a thin pancake that is baked in the oven. This popular street food is called ''[[farinata]]'' in [[Italian cuisine]], ''fainâ'' in [[Genoa]], and is known as ''socca'' or ''cade'' in [[French cuisine]]. It is used to make [[panelle]], a [[fritter]] in [[Sicilian cuisine]]. In [[Spanish cuisine]], gram flour is an ingredient for [[tortillitas de camarones]].
Also in [[Cyprus]] and [[Greece]], it is used as a garnishing ingredient for the funeral ritual food [[Koliva]], blessed and eaten during [[Memorial service (Orthodox)|Orthodox Memorial services]]. In the cuisine of [[Antakya]] in Turkey, it is used in the preparation of [[hummus]].

===North Africa===
In Morocco, they make a dish called ''karan'' from gram flour and eggs, which is baked in the oven. A similar famous dish is prepared in Algeria called ''Garantita'' or ''Karantita'' (originated from the Spanish term ''Calentica'', which means hot).<ref>{{cite book |last=Duclos|first=J.|date=1992|title=Le Pataouète. Dictionnaire de la langue populaire d'Algérie et d'Afrique du Nord|language=fr|publisher=Éd. Gandini.|isbn=2906431117|page=50}}</ref>

== Other uses ==
In the form of a paste with water or [[dahi (curd)|dahi]] (yogurt), it is also popular as a [[facial]] [[exfoliant]] in the [[Indian Subcontinent]].<ref>{{cite web | title= What is gram flour? | work= Blurtit.com | url= http://www.blurtit.com/q123457.html | access-date=2007-09-29}}</ref> When mixed with an equal volume of water, it can be used as an [[Vegan cuisine#Egg replacements|egg replacement]] in [[Veganism|vegan]] cooking.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Vegan Society |title=Egg Substitutes |work=Vegansociety.com |url=http://www.vegansociety.com/hubpage.aspx?id=677034 |access-date=2009-12-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716170237/http://www.vegansociety.com/hubpage.aspx?id=677034 |archive-date=2011-07-16 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of chickpea dishes]]
*[[Oralu kallu]], a type of grinding machine using stone to produce flour in some parts of India
*[[Kinako]]

==Notes==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gram Flour}}
[[Category:Flour]]
[[Category:Chickpea dishes]]

Gram flour - Revision history

>Hintha at 16:43, 22 September 2021