Organic Zing Besan Flour

What is Besan Flour?

Besan flour is obtained from legumes, specifically Chickpeas and Garbanzo Beans. It is an Indian kitchen staple used in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Chickpeas are first harvested, dried, and then ground into a finely milled flour, a pale yellow in color. However, Chickpeas can be consumed whole, cooked into Chana Masala, Falafel, and salads. Besan itself is derived from a type of chickpea - the Bengal Gram.

Flavor Profile:

Besan has a slightly nutty flavor, ideal for sweet and savory foods. The nuttiness of Gram flour adds to the overall mouthfeel of cookies and bread; it is also used in batter for frying vegetables, fish, etc. Bengal Gram Flour can be used in soups, stews, and gravies as thickeners. Besan can be used as a binder for burgers or falafel. Besan can also be used as a replacement for eggs in vegan recipes.

Homemade Chickpea Flour Pasta with Leek and Tomato Sauce

Things you’ll need:

• ¾ cup Besan flour
• 1¼ cup wheat flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups leek and tomato pasta sauce
• ½ cup filtered water
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

To The Kitchen:

• On a clean counter, mix dry ingredients creating a well in the middle to add the wet ingredients; combine them.
• Let sit for a few minutes and knead for 10 minutes; add water by the tablespoon if dry. It should be smooth and spring back when pressed; wrap again in plastic and let sit 30min.
• Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into ½cm thickness. Dust with flour and cut horizontally, arranging pasta in small nests. Let sit for a few minutes.
• On medium flame, in a sauté pan, heat olive oil and add pasta sauce and herbs. Once boiled, set heat to low and simmer until thick.
• In a pot, boil salted filtered water. Add noodles, cook for 3-4min, and drain. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and top with sauce.

Panelle (Sicilian Fritters)

Things you’ll need:

• 3 cup water
• 2 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2¼ - 2½ cup olive oil.
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• deep-fat thermometer
• 8X4in loaf pan

To The Kitchen:

• Lightly oil the loaf pan and line with a parchment paper, keeping it larger than the pan.
• Mix the ingredients and ¼ cup olive oil into a slurry and cook over moderate heat, constantly stirring to prevent lumps from forming until thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan (20-25min). Transfer to loaf pan, smoothen the top.
• Let it cool uncovered, then chill covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 hours.
• Lift the now set dough out of the pan, transfer it to a workspace, flip over and pat dry. Cut the block horizontally into ¼inch-thick slices.
• Heat the rest of the oil in a pot until the thermometer registers 375°F. Fry the Panelle until golden and puffed.
• Arrange Panelle on a platter and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Vegan Omelet

Things you’ll need:

• A quarter cup of chickpea flour
• a third cup of water
• a quarter cup of vegetables of choice
• one tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional)
• a quarter teaspoon of salt (can be replaced with black salt for a more egg-like flavor)
• and a tablespoon of oil for frying.

To The Kitchen:

• Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl, add half of the water and stir until it forms a smooth paste. Add the rest of the water and whisk until well combined.
• Dice the vegetables of choice while the well-seasoned iron skillet heats up, and sauté the diced veggies until tender.
• Mix the sautéed vegetables into the batter.
• On medium heat, pour the batter into the skillet like a pancake, cook until the omelet no longer looks wet, flip the omelet and cook the other side.