10 Besan Recipes You Must Try

Besan is also known as gram flour and is made from chickpeas. It is used in a wide variety of ways, especially in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, not to mention other parts of India. It has been in the preparation of both sweet and savoury dishes. Some of more commonly known Indian besan recipes are gatti sabzi, batata vada, besan kadhi, besan barfi, and so on.

In addition to being a greatly versatile ingredient, besan flour is also used as a way  to exfoliate and clean the skin. As a beauty ingredient, it is used in face packs as a way to de-tan, as well as in face and body scrubs in order to slough off dead skin cells and give that glow.

There are also several health benefits from having chickpeas or gram flour. It contains no gluten at all, and is therefore perfect if your body cannot handle gluten. It is also especially healthy for diabetics because of its low glycemic index. Besan also contains nutrients such as vitamins A and K, and is an excellent substitute for eggs because of its high protein content. Other health supplements that you can get from using besan recipes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, selenium, and copper.

If you have never tried besan flour in your food, we are here with preparations that you must try! These ten Indian besan recipes are easy to prepare, do not require too many ingredients, and are super nutritious!

1. Gatte ki Sabzi

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This is one of the classic besan recipes from Rajasthan.

• Take two cups of besan and add a pinch of hing, a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder, half teaspoon of ajwain and red chilli powder, and one teaspoon of coriander powder and salt
• Mix this, add three tablespoons of oil and two of curd, and mix well
• Add water, little at a time, and knead this mixture until you get a smooth dough
• Break this dough up into balls and roll them out to resemble soup sticks
• Cut each into two or three pieces and add them to boiling water on the stove
• Once the gatte is cooked, they will float to the top of the water with bubbles
• Let these pieces cool. Cut them into the size you prefer and add them to the gravy, and enjoy!

2. Besan Bhindi

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Another lovely choice from the Rajasthani besan recipes is this preparation of bhindi with besan.

• Keep aside a mixture of ginger slices, lemon juice, sugar and water for 1-3 hours
• Slit the bhindi with two or three cuts, but do not cut completely
• In a frying pan, sauté the bhindi until it is crisp
• Drain off the extra oil on paper towels and keep aside
• In another pan, melt ghee and add besan flour. Fry until the besan is golden brown and gives off a  lovely aroma
• Add in the fried bhindi along with your choice of spices. We recommend coriander powder, dry mango powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder
• Add a little water and salt to taste. Continue to sauté until the bhindi is well coated
• Garnish this with the soaked ginger slices and some coriander, and your dish is ready!

3. Besani Mirch

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This is one of the best besan recipes that you can use to make a filling and tasty snack.

• Wash and slit 15-20 green chillies vertically
• Sauté half cup besan along with hing, chilli powderm coriander powder, aamchur in a tablespoon of oil until the colour darkens. Let this cool
• Fill small amounts of this besan mixture in the green chillies and then stir fry in the same pan. You can add another tablespoon of oil
• Serve hot, with a cup of chai, and relish this dish!

4. Besan Chilla

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• Add finely chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, ginger, and green chillies to the gram flour
• Add ajwain/cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt to taste
• Add in water in incremental amounts and mix this well to reach medium consistency. Make sure there are no lumps in this batter
• Heat a taw and spread a bit of oil. Once it is hot, add a ladle full of the batter and spread as you would with dosa batter
• Cook on a low flame for a few minutes before flipping it and cooking the other side
• Serve hot with chutney for the best combination!

5. Eggless Tomato Omelette

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This is another one of those besan recipes that you simply have to try!

• The ingredients are similar to the recipe above, but make sure you double the tomato to onion ratio
• In addition to the spices mentioned in the previous recipe, you can also add some garam masala for taste
• Repeat steps 3-5 from above, and enjoy this simple dish!

6. Plain Bread Pakoda

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Here is one type from the bread pakoda besan recipes.

• Mix one cup of besan with ajwain, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, hing, and salt
• Add half cup water and mix well, so the batter is smooth but not too thick or thin
• Take a cut slice of bread, dip it in the batter and deep fry in oil on a medium flame

7. Stuffed Bread Pakoda

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A variation of the recipe mentioned above, this includes an aloo stuffing and is a more filling snack!

• Prepare the aloo stuffing by boiling and grating potates, Mix this with chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, red chilli powder, garam masala, amchur powder and salt
• Take a bit of the stuffing and place between two half slices of bread
• To make the batter, repeat the steps mentioned above and fry in a similar manner

8. Bhunne Besan ka Murg Tikka

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This is a non-vegetarian recipe using besan and is absolutely delicious.

• First marinate the chicken for 20 minutes in a mixture of malt vinegar, ginger garlic paste, and salt
• Then move the chicken into a mixture containing hung curd, roasted besan, garam masala, black pepper powder, kasoori methi powder, cumin powder, and yellow chilli powder
• Add cream and oil and allow the chicken to marinte for two hours
• Grill these chicken pieces, and you are ready to enjoy this mouthwatering dish!

9. Besan Laddoo

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One of the yummiest besan recipes out there is this one, using which you can make besan laddoos!

• Take a pan and add the besan flour.  Roast this for about ten minutes until you see the colour change and have a brownish tinge
• To this roasted besan, add melted ghee and continue to roast the two together for about six minutes. You will know it is ready for the next step from the aroma as well as the ghee separating a little from the besan
• Now, remove  the pan from the stove and add powdered sugar. Mix well to avoid any lumps
• Add raisins or other nuts (optional) and then roll the warm besan mixture into laddoos, enjoy!

10. Besan Barfi

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Yet another one from the sweet besan recipes, is this preparation of besan barfi.

• Grease a pan with ghee or place butter paper on a tray and grease it well with ghee
• Melt half a cup of ghee in a kadhai on low flame
• To this, slowly add two cups of besan. Do this in such a manner that it mixes evenly and roasts entirely
• Continue to stir in the besan until it is all completely mixed and this mixture turns golden in colour. You must stir continuously to prevent lumps and until you can smell the fully roasted besan
• Make sugar syrup separately by mixing one cup of powdered sugar in water and keeping it to boil. You should keep it on low flame until it reduces and you get a thin consistency
• Add this to the besan mixture and mix well and fast, your entire mixture will now begin to reduce and also become thicker
• Pour this onto your pan and spread evenly. You can top this off with chopped nuts and melon seeds!

These besan recipes are only ten of the many recipes out there! Once you start trying these out, you will certainly be tempted to find as many recipes as you can and experiment with all of them. Filled with nutritious goodness and a delight for the palate, every dish is sure to be a treat!