Chickpea Flour (Besan / Gram Flour)
What it is
Pale-gold, high-protein flour from chickpeas. South Asian besan is traditionally milled from split brown chickpeas (chana dal / Bengal gram); Western "chickpea flour" is usually from white (kabuli) chickpeas — a minor but real difference in color and flavor. Gluten-free.
How it's made
Chickpeas (whole or split, sometimes roasted) are milled to a fine flour. Roasted besan is nuttier; raw besan tastes bitter-beany until cooked.
Flavor profile
Earthy, nutty, distinctively legumey, faintly bitter raw — mellowing to savory and rich once cooked.
Culinary uses
Indian pakoras/bhajis (the batter), kadhi (yogurt curry thickened with besan), besan ladoo and Mysore pak (sweets), dhokla; Ligurian/Niçoise socca / farinata (a thin, crisp baked chickpea pancake — just chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt); Provençal panisse (set, sliced, fried chickpea "fries"); Burmese tofu (to hpu — chickpea flour cooked with water into a custard and set firm, an entirely soy-free tofu). The protein lets it set into a sliceable gel and bind fritters with no egg, which is why it's a vegan kitchen staple. It cannot make a stretchy dough.
Regional variations
Besan (South Asia), socca/farinata (Liguria, Nice, with the same batter under different names), panelle (Sicily), Burmese tofu (Shan State). One ingredient, many independent traditions.
Cultural & historical context
Chickpeas are among the oldest domesticated legumes, and chickpea-flour foods span the Mediterranean, Middle East, and South Asia. Socca/farinata is humble street food with a documented history in Genoa and Nice; besan is woven through the entire Indian sweet and snack repertoire.
Reference notes
Tags: `legume`, `gluten-free`, `high-protein`, `chickpea`, `besan`, `binder`. Related ingredients: [Urad Dal Flour], [Fava Bean Flour], [Pea Flour]. Related cuisines: Indian, Ligurian, Provençal, Burmese. Suggested links: → Socca / farinata, → Burmese tofu, → Pakora.