Chickpeas flour, also known as gram flour or besan, have become the latest favorite of the healthy-eating population. And we have to maintain, for sound reasons, too. It is gluten-free, high in iron, protein and fibre and what is more, it is a highly versatile variety of flour that you can use for soups, desserts, sauces and a variety of other dishes.
Cooking with Chickpea Flour
Let us a look a bit closely here. Although Americans have only recently caught up with the fad of chickpea flour, the item has been in use for long in many parts of the world. In India, for example, it is widely used for making vegetable fritters and sweetmeats such as besan aaddu — a highly popular variety of sweetmeat in the Indian subcontinent. In case of the fritters, the vegetable balls are coated in the chickpea flour and fried. The laddus are normally roasted chickpea or gram flour balls mixed with flavors such as cardamom and others. Similarly, in other places of Asia, chickpea flour is used in a variety of dishes. For example, Burmese tofu is made with chickpea flour. In middle-eastern countries, popular foods like hummus or falafel make use of besan or gram flour.
Why Cook with Chickpea Flour?
Well, we have already mentioned its benefits as a health food. It s gluten-free and since gluten-free has become the new mantra for healthy eaters, we can safely predict that chickpea flour is here to stay. Famous chef Ottolenghi, for example, has eulogized the health benefits and versatility of the item in high terms recently. The British-based chef himself uses it to make flatbreads, biscuits, vegetable fritters and his signature Iranian dumplings. The flour is also great, he maintains, for making yoghurt sauces and various kinds of soups since it helps the gravy to thicken and prevents it from curdling.
So, yes, if you are a stickler for healthy food trends, we say it is definitely time that you explored the immense benefits of chickpea flour.
For more articles on healthy eating and for everything you need for your kitchen and a comfortable home, follow our articles here at The Family Dining Room.