Beauty of Besan / Gram Flour
Gram flour is a type of flour made from legumes called Chana or Chickpeas. Gram flour is widely used in Indian homes.
Modern machines like pulverizers are used to convert chickpeas into flour. This process is adopted for mass production. Stone Grinding is the process adopted to retain all the nutrients and natural goodness of Channa.
This stone ground besan flour is rich in protein, unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acids, and vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, folate, and beta-carotene. It is the perfect dietary ingredient for those who want to go on a low-carb, high-protein, no-gluten diet. Interestingly, India is the largest producer of Channa.
Besan Gram Flour is Naturally Gluten Free and Good for the heart.
Besan or Chana flour is the answer for people who are gluten allergic. It is gluten-free and can be used instead of wheat. This subtle flavored stone ground gram flour is a great addition to many savories and desserts. Besan is not only low on calories but it is highly nutritious too.
Besan is rich in soluble fibers, which play a major role in keeping the heart healthy. The fiber content also helps in maintaining the cholesterol in desired levels.
Keeps Diabetes under control and helps weight loss
A report by Harvard Medical School indicated that chickpeas have a GI value of 10, which is significantly low. Since Besan is also rich in fiber, it slows down the absorption of blood sugar and can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Besan has lower levels of glycemic index and thus helps in faster calorie burn. Consuming Besan will help you to eat fewer calories during the day because of its rich fiber content.
Besan an Acne Fighter
Acne is a skin problem suffered by many and is difficult to treat. This chronic, inflammatory skin disease causes pimples on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms. This condition which mostly appears at puberty is caused by overactive oil glands at the base of hair follicles.
Besan Gram flour is a time-tested home remedy for Acne. The zinc content in besan helps in fighting the infections that cause acne.
Home Remedies for Healthy Skin
- Mix equal amounts of Healthy Fibres Besan and Haldi powder/Lakadong Turmeric powder.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and Healthy Fibres wild honey to it and mix it thoroughly.
- Apply a thin layer of this paste to your cleansed and damp face and neck, and leave it on for 10 minutes.
- Rinse with warm water for a smooth refreshing feeling
How is Stone Ground Gram Flour good for hair?
Stone ground besan flour provides all the vitamins needed for healthy hair growth. It is rich in antioxidants, folic acid, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and niacin. All of these nourish hair follicles and improve growth. Besan also contains good amounts of antioxidants which protect the hair from damage. The protein content in the Besan helps to nourish the hair and combat hair loss. Besan is also rich in molybdenum. This supports the scalp tissue and surrounding hair follicles so the hair has strong roots to grow.
Basan in Indian Savories
Chakli – This circular disc namkeen is a popular snack from South Indian cuisine. Made by mixing besan with rice flour, Chaklis are deep-fried to give them their crunchy texture. These Instant Chakli are a savory treat that you will love munching on anytime. Prepare this easy chakli recipe for Indian festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, or any festive occasion.
- First, combine 1 cup of rice flour and ½ cup of gram flour (besan) in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the ½ teaspoon carom seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, a generous pinch of asafoetida, and salt as per taste. Mix the chana flour thoroughly with a spoon.
- Heat 2.5 tablespoons butter or oil in a bowl or small pan on medium-low heat. Add the same to the above-mentioned mixture.
- Use slightly damp hands to knead and form the dough by adding hot water. And rest the dough for 30 minutes, covering it at room temperature.
- Once the dough has rested, it’s time to make the chakli! Start by applying some water to the chakli/murukku maker, and place a portion of the dough inside it, closing the lid tightly. Carefully move in rounds to get a spiral shape as the dough comes out.
15 Heat the oil to the required temperature and start frying the dough until it turns to be golden brown.
Besan Ladoo- Besan Ladoo /Besan ke Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made from besan powder, powdered sugar and clarified butter / Desi Ghee.
Ingredients:
1. Healthy Fibres Besan/ Gram Flour
2. Healthy Fibres Desi Ghee
3. Sugar
4. Healthy Fibres Cashew nut
The ingredients need to be roasted enough so that they are cooked thoroughly which also releases their aromatic flavors. Proper roasting also helps in getting the correct dough consistency so that the balls will form and stay together.
Procedure
1. Take a heavy Kadai or wok or pan and keep on low heat. Add 2 cups of besan (200 grams) in the Kadai.
2. Begin to dry roast besan on low to medium-low heat.
3. Stir often so that besan gets browned evenly and does not burn. When you begin to roast besan, you will see small lumps in the organic besan flour. These lumps disappear later.
4 After roasting for 12 mins. You can see the color has changed as compared to what it was in the beginning.
5. Then add ½ cup ghee (125 grams). Preferably use the best quality and fragrant desi ghee. Stir often and mix it well.
6. The mixture will thicken and the color will also change.
7. Soon you will see that the mixture will start releasing ghee and will give a nice fragrant aroma. Some ghee will float on top and you will see a molten lava kind of consistency where the ghee is floating.
(The mixture will also loose sides of the pan and become one. These are the signs that the besan is fully cooked.)
8. Remove the Kadai or pan from the stove and keep it on your kitchen countertop for some time so that it slightly cools down. Add the powdered sugar (175 grams) and stir well so that no lumps are formed.
9. Mix very well. The entire sugar has to be mixed evenly with the roasted besan and ghee mixture.
10. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of raisins (chopped), 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder, and 10 to 12 cashews (chopped). You can use any nuts like almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts. Just chop them before adding.
11. Then shape into a medium-sized ladoo with your palms.
12. Store besan ladoo in an airtight steel container.
