Gram Flour

Gram flour, also called besan, is a flour made by grinding chana dal, split and skinned brown chickpeas, into a fine pale yellow powder, and is a staple ingredient across South Asian cooking. It is naturally gluten-free and higher in protein than wheat flour, and is used to make fried snacks such as pakoras and bhajji, steamed cakes such as dhokla, and to thicken sauces and batters. Related chickpea flours appear well beyond South Asia under different names and preparations, including Italian farinata, French socca and Sicilian panelle, all savory pancakes or fritters built on the same base flour.