8 Favorite Recipes Using Chickpea Flour (+ a giveaway) — dolly and oatmeal (2024)

FAQs

How to use chickpea flour in recipes? ›

Chickpea flour is used throughout the Mediterranean, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa to make sweet and savory flatbreads, thicken soups and stews, and add richness to dumplings and cakes. It is the main ingredient in shiro wat, a hearty, spicy Ethiopian stew laced with tomatoes and onions.

In addition to working well as a replacement for gluten-containing flours in some recipes, adding chickpea flour is also a great way to increase the protein and fiber content of your recipe. Try it in homemade protein bars or breakfast bread to add a boost to your morning meal.

Or roast the flour itself in the oven in an uncovered cast iron frying pan for a simular amount of time ot enrich its flavour, stirring with a fork every 3 to 4 minutes so that it browns evenly.

Gram flour, also called besan, garbanzo flour, or chickpea flour, is made from ground chickpeas, which are naturally gluten-free. Chickpeas also have many names, including garbanzo beans, garbanzo, gram, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, cici beans, chi chi beans and cece beans.

Chickpea flour is more versatile than you might think. It can be used, in part, in decadent baked goods like banana bread and cupcakes, or in classic breakfast dishes such as pancakes and crepes. It's also the perfect substitute for white flour in savory staples like meatballs, pizza dough, and dumplings.

Chickpea flour has a strong earthy flavor and a pleasant nuttiness that deepens when cooked. When raw, however, it has a sharp, bitterness that easily overpowers its more nuanced undertones.

Chickpea flour is also a terrific anti-inflammatory food, as consuming beans has been shown to have anti-inflammatory abilities and protective benefits against cancer — in particular cancer within the digestive tract, including colon, stomach and kidney cancer.

When stored in a cool, dry and dark place, an unopened pack of chickpea flour can last up to 1 year past the printed date on the package. However, once opened, it should be used within 6 months for best quality. If you've frozen your chickpea flour, it can last for an impressive 2 years.

By improving feelings of fullness, the study authors say that switching to a cellular chickpea blend in commercial bread recipes could help people stop overeating. As the flour doesn't cause as high a spike in blood sugar levels as normal white flour, it could also reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Like other types of flours, chickpea flour and besan should be stored in a sealed container to keep out moisture in a cool place. It stays fresh for upto 6 months, and longer if refrigerated.

Why is my chickpea flour bitter? ›

Chickpea flour — also known as besan, Channa dal or gram flour — is made from ground raw or roasted chickpeas. Roasted varieties has more flavor, while the raw variety is bitter.

Chickpea Flour as a Thickener

Made from ground dry chickpeas, this gluten-free flour is a great thickener. When sifted and whisked into hot soup or a sauce, it absorbs liquids without clumping and melts into the liquid completely without leaving a gritty texture behind.

Chickpea flour, also known as gram, besan, or garbanzo bean flour, has been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries. Chickpeas are versatile legumes with a mild, nutty taste, and chickpea flour is typically made from a variety called Bengal grams.

Chickpea flour and gram flour are actually the same thing, just known by different names in different regions. Both terms refer to a flour made from ground chickpeas, and are commonly used in Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisines. In some other parts of the world, it is also known as garbanzo flour or besan.

So, if you are going to use chickpea flour in a recipe that calls for all purpose flour, use half. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of all purpose flour you would then just use 1/2 cup chickpea flour.

You can usually substitute half the amount of plain flour in a recipe for chickpea flour. But, be warned, it can suck up a lot of moisture, so it may not be right for every recipe – especially if you're making a cake or bread.

Besan, or chickpea flour, is a popular ingredient in many Indian and Middle Eastern dishes, but it can also be used in baking to add a unique flavor and texture to cakes and other baked goods. When added to a cake recipe, besan can contribute a nutty flavor and slightly grainy texture.

Muffins, Cookies, and Quick Breads

Though you can mix it with other flours (gluten-free or regular) to add complexity in flavor, chickpea flour is sturdy enough to do the heavy lifting in baking all by itself. Try a 1 to 1 swap for flour in blender muffins, pumpkin bread, or sunflower butter breakfast cookies.