Chickpea Flour: What Makes It So Special?
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are undoubtedly familiar to anyone as it is most famous as the primary component in dishes like hummus, falafel, and chana masala. Flour made from these beans is a gluten-free flour staple component in Indian cuisine but quickly gaining traction in the West as a wheat flour substitute.
The primary distinction between chickpea flours is because they're produced from two different kinds of beans. These are Kabuli chickpeas, typical tan-colored chickpeas many have probably most acquainted with, and desi chickpeas, which are smaller and have rougher hulls. Desi chickpeas may also be found in deeper hues ranging from green to brown to almost black, depending on when the seedpods are collected.
An Introduction to Chickpea Products
Chickpea flour is produced much like many other flours. The black hulls of dried chickpeas are removed to make the flour, and the interior seed is split. The resulting split chickpea is often referred to as chana dal, which may cause some confusion since the term dal is frequently used to refer to lentils. Desi chickpeas, when hulled and split, resemble yellow lentils or yellow split peas. They are, however, chickpeas. Although they are distinct species, lentils, peas, and chickpeas are all members of the same botanical family, Fabaceae.
Two Main Types of Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour can be produced by crushing chana dal into a fine powder. This produces the besan or gram flour variant. You can also have chickpea flour made from crushed dried Kabuli chickpeas, the usual tan-colored chickpeas. Besan prepared from desi chickpeas are more refined and denser in texture. Chickpea flour produced from regular garbanzo beans will be coarser and fluffier. The taste will be comparable, but the most significant variation will be the amount of liquid required to create a batter of the same consistency. Besan will need less water.
How to Make Your Own Chickpea Flour
To clear up any misunderstanding about the kind of chickpea flour you're using, one method is to grind it yourself from whichever variety of bean you like. Ordinary dry garbanzo beans are much more readily accessible, but if you have access to a South Asian grocery shop near you, you should be able to get some of the less common kinds of chickpeas. Look for goods labelled split chickpeas, chana dal, split Bengal gram, or split desi chickpeas.
Alternatively, you may ground your ordinary chickpeas to create your chickpea flour.
Simply crush dry chickpeas into a powder in a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix.
Conclusion
Chickpea flour is high in nutrients. It's a fantastic substitute for refined wheat flour since it's lower in carbohydrates and calories while higher in protein and fiber. It has comparable culinary qualities as wheat flour and is safe for celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy. Chickpea flour is a delicious, nutritious, and easy substitution that can help enhance the healthfulness of your diet.
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