Need ways to use besan (chickpea flour) Heliamphora? Anybody?
Posted by yabbitgirl on Apr 28, 2008 · Member since Apr 2006 · 14266 posts
I direct this to Heliamphora, because she often mentions using besan/gram/chickpea flour, but anyone can play!
I went to the Asian market yesterday and among other stuff I brought home some chickpea flour. The local pseudo organic brand (and I know whereof I speak, it's not) was like 3 Euros for a pound. The Indian import bag was 5 lbs for a little bit more. Me being of farming stock, of course I bought the big bag! But then, when I got it home, it looked Soooo much bigger than it had in the shop! And five pounds (2 kg) is a lot of chickpea flour. I know about bahji, but what other recipes can I put it in? Can it be used like wheat flour, say in banana bread or similar? I know that lately a local bakery advertises garbanzo bread.
Hey yabbit,
I know there's at least one recipe on vegweb for chickpea cookies that calls for the flour instead of beans. I've used the stuff mixed with a bit of soymilk and cornstarch in Isa's Fronch Toast, and also instead of regular flour to thicken the gravy on (also Isa's) seitan pot pie. Really really good.
INDIAN OMELETTE WITH CHICKPEA FLOUR
Here's a recipe I found and have used a couple of time. It's not like an "egg" omelette, more like an Indian fried bread or pancake. I like it. If you made it for an army platoon you might use up your large bag of flour.
INDIAN VEGAN OMELETTE_
_1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (I used Meera gram flour)_1 cup finely chopped onion_1/2 cup finely chopped dill_1 tsp crushed red pepper_1/4 tsp cumin seeds_1/8 tsp turmeric (optional)_1/2 cup grated carrot_1/4 cup finely chopped tomato_salt to taste_vegetable oil__Take the chickpea flour in a large bowl, add onion,_dill, tomato, carrot and the spices. Add water and_make a thick batter. __Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-high_until hot. Pour a ladleful of batter into the skillet_and spread it around. Spread 1 tsp of oil on the top_of the omlette, and cook for 3-4 minutes, and when the_edges are dried out, flip over, and cook the other_side for 3-4 minutes.
Yabbit, I second the Indian Omelet idea. I do this all the time and it's delicious. Make sure it's thin so it gets done all the way through or it will have a funky taste.
It's actually a pretty good flour if you're making a batter for anything (french toast ala VWaV comes to mind). I used to stir a tablespoon or two into my sauces as a thickener to give it a protein bonus over regular flour. It does tend to have a bit of a hummus-y aftertaste if you add too much though, but that may not be a bad thing.
Veganomicon has a yummy recipe for brussel sprouts breaded in chickpea flour.
Ooh, Indian Omelette sounds very *NOM*. ;)b
(My version of) Fresh Corn Fritters from The Healthy Indian Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj...
2 cobs sweetcorn
4+ tablespoons besan
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 fresh green chilli
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons plain (soy) yoghurt
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Slice the kernels off the corncobs into a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt, turmeric, garlic, ginger and minced chilli. Stir in the yoghurt, then enough besan to form a kind of soft-crumbly-moist-doughy mixture. Shallow-fry spoonfuls in sunflower oil until golden brown on both sides. Serve with your favourite relish.
The original recipe said to grate the kernels off the cobs, but I found this wasteful, messy and difficult. ;D
You could also make Burmese tofu with the chickpea flour. It doesn't come out like regular soybean tofu but comes out with more of a polenta-like texture (or at least that's what I've heard since I haven't tried it) It doesn't use coagulents like soy tofu though. I wonder if you could though? Experiment time! LOL! :D Here's a recipe for Burmese tofu if you'd like to try it:http://vegangrandma.blogspot.com/2006/10/burmese-style-tofu-vegan-chick-pea.html It seems to have some interesting info on chickpea flour too. Hopefully this was helpful! Good luck with the chickpea flour!
By the way... Gotta try that chickpea omellette...
I forgot to mention that stirring hot soymilk into a besan roux makes the silkiest, richest, most delicious white gravy ever. Season with sage and/or savory and/or thyme, hot pepper flakes, garlic, and black pepper, and you have soysage gravy without the lumps. Add lumps at will: vegan sausage, browned tofu bits, crumbled/sauteed tempeh, vegetables, whatever. Serve over toast or biscuits. Mmmm.
You guys are the coolest! I have been debating "the gravy question" ever since returning to vegetaria. I remembered, though, that my mom used to put black coffee in stew and pot roasts to get richer gravy so maybe this idea plus some coffee to brown it would result in "brown gravy."
Lots and lots of good ideas here..must cut and paste the whole thread and print it out for safekeeping. Vegwebbers totally rock. :)>>>
These aren't the healthiest since it requires frying but delicious and easy...
Pakora - make a thick batter (consistency of pancake batter) with besan and water, add a bit of salt and some chili powder to taste. The batter should be thick enough to coat veggies but not too thick that it'll get doughy when cooked. Now you have a basic batter so next decide what veggies you want to fry up. Some suggestions...
For onion pakora, add some minced green chilies, cilantro, cashew pieces and coarsely chopped/sliced onions to the batter. Spoon it into hot oil and fry til golden brown.
Other veggies that my family normally makes pakora with are sliced zucchini, ridge gourd (found in Indian grocery and is very good) cauliflower, fresh methi (or fenugreek leaves - also found in indian grocery). Really whatever you think would be suitable for frying.
One trick to get the batter crispier when frying is to add a tad of rice flour to the batter.
Or you can make aloo bonda which is basically the same batter except you coat balls of cooked and coarsely mashed potatoes that have been seasoned with cumin, curry leaves, turmeric, and chili powder. Of course this is more involved than pakora but is worth the effort.
ILT, Aloo Bonda sounds absolutely lush! I bet DH would like it!
I love muthia, and this is a good somewhat healthy recipe.
I also use chickpea flour as a thickener for vegetarian chili. Just whisk it into some cold liquid and stir that into the pot. Very nice.
I was just reading the October 2004 issue of the Peaceable Table, a vegetarian journal for Quakers and Other People of Faith and found this recipe and remembered your reuquest:
Tofu Patties
1/2 lb tofu grated
2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup chick pea flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon barley miso
3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
Saute onion 4 minutes, add diced carrot and celery, saute 3 minutes more. Mix very well all the ingredients. Make 9 patties, put them on an oiled cooky sheet and bake them 15 mins each side. Serve them with a green salad.
—Maria Elena
Don't know if you have or can find barley miso but if not probably any light colored miso would work.
Hi there,
Check out my quick and easy recipe for a delicious dessert made from besan.
Besan is really so versatile, you shouldn't have much trouble using it up!
http://desinthecity.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/meera-gram-flour-2/
good luck with your sack of Besan!
Avi
chickpea spinach fritters!!!!!!!!!!!
there is a really cool Indian bread that you can make with it called chapattis (no promise on spelling it well) but they are like tortillas.
Hi,
I can suggest a couplke of my recipes that would steal your heart.
1) http://hemant-trivedis-cookery-corner.blogspot.com/search/label/27%20%20ANGIE%20PIZZA%20.પીઝા%20ટોપ%20વાળા%20ખારા%20પુડલા
The second one is,
http://hemant-trivedis-cookery-corner.blogspot.com/search/label/12%3A%20BHARELA%20MARCHA%20NA%20BHAJIYA%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20ભરેલા%20મરચા%20ના%20ભજીયા
I forgot to mention that stirring hot soymilk into a besan roux makes the silkiest, richest, most delicious white gravy ever. Season with sage and/or savory and/or thyme, hot pepper flakes, garlic, and black pepper, and you have soysage gravy without the lumps. Add lumps at will: vegan sausage, browned tofu bits, crumbled/sauteed tempeh, vegetables, whatever. Serve over toast or biscuits. Mmmm.
interesting! sounds good!
Doesn't Isa use chickpea flour in her french toast? or something eggy? I don't remeber, (sorry not super helpful,) but she, (or someone,) said it gives an eggy flavor to sutff.
My first thought when it comes to besan (chickpea flour) is dhokla. A yummy snack from India, it's steamed and drizzled with a spicy-sweet dressing and sprinkled with cilantro and sometimes coconut.
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