What is besan flour that is used commonly in Indian recipes?
Besan flour, also known as gram flour, is used in Indian cooking and it is actually made from ground chickpeas (chana dhal). It is a very fine, soft flour, pale creamy yellow in color, and is used to thicken soups and curries or made into a batter to coat vegetables or fish. But it must be stirred well or it will turn lumpy. This nutritious flour is also used in Provence and northern Italy to make crepes, soups and special pastries. It is available from health food shops, Asian specialty food stores and the larger supermarkets. For flavor and also for texture, there is really nothing that is an adequate substitute for besan flour.
