How to Use Besan Flour in Everyday Cooking

Besan is one of those cupboard staples that earns its space quickly. Once you know how to use besan flour, it can turn a small amount of vegetables, yoghurt or leftover cooked food into a filling meal, snack or side dish. Made from ground chana dal, besan has a warm, nutty flavour and is used across Indian and South Asian home cooking for everything from pakoras to kadhi.

For UK households, it is especially useful because it is affordable, stores well and works with familiar ingredients from the weekly shop. The key is understanding when to mix it raw, when to cook it first and how much water it needs.

What is besan flour?

Besan flour, often called gram flour, is made by milling split brown chickpeas, also known as chana dal. It is not quite the same as flour made from whole chickpeas, although the two can sometimes be used in similar recipes. Besan is usually finer, more golden in colour and has the distinctive savoury taste that many people expect in Indian cooking.

It is naturally gluten-free, which can make it a useful option for some households. However, if you are cooking for someone with coeliac disease, always check the pack for allergen and cross-contamination information.

Besan is not a direct replacement for plain flour in every bake. It contains no gluten, absorbs liquid differently and has a stronger flavour. It performs best in savoury batters, flatbreads, thick sauces, fritters and traditional sweets rather than light sponge cakes.

How to use besan flour for batters and fritters

A simple besan batter is one of the quickest ways to make a snack from vegetables. Add besan to a bowl, then whisk in water gradually until you have a smooth batter. For pakoras, the batter should be thick enough to coat sliced onion, potato, spinach, cauliflower or paneer without sliding straight off.

Seasoning matters. Salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, chopped coriander and a little ajwain are popular choices. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda can make fritters lighter, but use only a small amount. Too much can leave an unpleasant taste and make the batter spread in hot oil.

Let the mixed batter sit for five to ten minutes before frying. Besan takes a little time to absorb the water, so a batter that initially seems right may become thicker. Add another spoonful of water if needed. Fry small portions in moderately hot oil until crisp and deep golden. If the oil is too cool, pakoras can absorb excess oil; if it is too hot, the outside browns before the vegetables soften.

Besan batter is also good for shallow-fried vegetable cheela. Make it slightly thinner than pakora batter, pour it onto a lightly oiled frying pan and cook like a savoury pancake. Finely chopped onion, tomato, grated courgette or leftover cooked vegetables work well. Serve with pickle, chutney or a bowl of yoghurt for a quick lunch.

Use besan to thicken curries and make kadhi

Besan gives sauces body without needing cream or a large amount of oil. In dishes such as kadhi, it is whisked with yoghurt and water, then gently cooked with spices. The flour thickens as it heats, creating a tangy, comforting curry that goes well with rice or roti.

The important step is whisking. Mix besan with a small amount of cool water first to make a smooth paste, then add the remaining liquid. This reduces lumps. Keep stirring as the curry comes up to a gentle simmer, particularly during the first few minutes, as besan can settle at the base of the pan.

Raw besan has a slightly earthy, uncooked taste. Give it enough time on the heat, usually at least 15 to 20 minutes for a curry or sauce, and the flavour becomes softer and nuttier. If the curry thickens more than expected, loosen it with hot water rather than adding more yoghurt, which may split if boiled too hard.

You can also add a spoonful of besan to a vegetable curry where the gravy is thin. First roast the flour lightly in a dry pan or mix it with water before adding it. Never drop dry besan straight into a hot curry, as it will form stubborn lumps.

Make quick besan chilla and savoury pancakes

Besan chilla is a practical breakfast, light supper or lunchbox option. It is filling without needing a long preparation time, and you can change the vegetables depending on what is in the fridge.

For a basic mixture, combine besan with water until it reaches a pourable consistency, similar to pancake batter. Add salt, chopped onion, green chilli if wanted, coriander and spices such as cumin or chilli powder. Pour a ladleful onto a hot, lightly greased pan and spread it gently into a round. Cook on both sides until set, lightly crisp at the edges and cooked through.

If the chilla breaks when you turn it, the batter may be too thin or the pan may not be hot enough. If it feels dense, add a little more water and avoid making it too thick. Grated carrot, shredded cabbage, sweetcorn and finely chopped spinach are all economical additions that add colour and texture.

For a more substantial meal, fill the cooked chilla with spiced potato, paneer or leftover dal. A spoonful of yoghurt alongside it also balances the savoury flavour of the besan.

Use besan in doughs, coatings and snacks

Besan can bring flavour and tenderness to doughs when used alongside wheat flour. Add a small proportion to atta when making parathas or rotis, particularly for methi or masala parathas. Start with roughly one part besan to three or four parts atta. Using too much besan can make the dough dry and more difficult to roll, so add water slowly and allow the dough to rest.

For a crisp coating, season besan with spices and use it to coat fish, paneer, aubergine or sliced potatoes before shallow-frying. It gives a more substantial crust than plain flour, but it needs steady heat to cook through. A thin coating is usually better than a heavy one.

Roasted besan also has a place in everyday snacks. Dry-roast it on a low heat, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and deepens slightly in colour. It can then be mixed into savoury mixtures or used as the base for sweets such as besan ladoo. Take your time with roasting: rushed, high heat can burn the flour and make it bitter.

Getting besan flour right in sweet dishes

Besan ladoo is a classic example of how different besan becomes when cooked slowly in ghee. The flour is roasted until aromatic before sugar, cardamom and nuts are added. The finished sweet should taste rich and toasted, not raw.

Texture depends on the type of besan and the amount of ghee used. Fine besan produces smoother ladoo, while coarser varieties give a more traditional grainy bite. Ghee helps the flour roast evenly and bind when cooled, but adding too much can make the mixture greasy. Add it gradually and keep stirring over a low heat.

Besan barfi and halwa follow a similar principle. The flour must be properly cooked before sweeteners are added. If you are making sweets for the first time, prepare a small batch. It is easier to judge the aroma, colour and texture without wasting ingredients.

Four common besan cooking mistakes

• Adding water all at once: This is the fastest route to lumps. Whisk gradually, especially for kadhi, chilla and batter.
• Using raw besan in a finished dish: Besan needs cooking time. Roast it or simmer it properly so the earthy raw flavour disappears.
• Making batter too thick: Very thick batter can leave fritters doughy in the middle. It should coat ingredients, not sit on them like paste.
• Cooking on high heat throughout: High heat is useful for frying, but besan sauces and sweets need lower, steadier heat to prevent sticking and burning.

Storing besan flour at home

Keep besan in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, away from steam and direct sunlight. Always use a dry spoon, as moisture can cause clumping and shorten its shelf life. In a warm kitchen or during summer, storing it in the fridge can help preserve its fresh flavour.

Before using an older pack, smell it. Fresh besan should smell mild, nutty and clean. If it smells stale, sour or unusually oily, it is better not to use it. Buying a sensible pack size for your household means you get good value without leaving flour unused at the back of the cupboard.

A well-stocked kitchen does not need complicated ingredients to produce satisfying food. Keep besan, spices, rice, atta and a few vegetables on hand, and there is usually a quick meal within reach. Mega Bazaar makes it easier to add these familiar essentials to your regular household shop at value-led prices.