“Super crunchy” is how cookbook author and host Justine Schofield describes besan batter.
, made from ground chickpeas (or in some places, from a related lentil, the Bengal gram), is a popular ingredient in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepalese and Sri Lankan cooking, used for everything from sev, the delicious noodle-like savoury snack, to . It’s the key ingredient in the unleavened French flatbread, , and its cousin, the Italian or cecina.
And it makes for a gloriously crunchy coating.
“Besan flour doesn't go super golden brown. What it does do, it goes super crunchy,” says Schofield in Outback Gourmet, when she uses a besan-flour batter to her (think super-sized, tender chicken nuggets). “And it's got a lovely, nutty flavour.”
When SBS chatted to Schofield about and her , we asked what else makes besan flour such a great choice for a batter.
“Chickpea or besan flour is a great gluten-free flour. I like the flavour of it. It makes a thicker batter [than wheat flour] but it definitely gives a lovely crust. It’s a really nice thing to use.
“When I did fried chicken [in the show], people will notice that it didn't get that super golden colour, but it did give a really nice, thick crust, which meant it kept the chicken super moist.
“I’ve done it with fish, too, or you dip cauliflower into it and deep-fry it. So delicious!”
Feeling hungry now? Here are some of our favourite ways to embrace the crunchy goodness of chickpea/besan flour batter.
“Chickpea flour has an excellent toasty flavour that works well in this recipe, the olives give it a burst of saltiness, and the smell and savouriness of caraway always makes me extra hungry. With a possible influence from my Sri Lankan friends, this is perfect as an antipasto or even as something to snack on with a beverage,” says O Tama Carey of her , which are served with deep-fried chickpeas. The batter can be made up to 4 hours in advance and stored in the fridge.
Another from O Tama Carey, this time using the chickpea flour as a coating, rather than in a batter. Large pitted green olives are stuffed with seasoned quince paste, coated in egg, milk and chickpea flour, then gently fried. “It’s a little fiddly but makes for a delicious salty and sweet antipasti,” Carey says.
Source: Benito Martin
For her , Schofield uses soda water in the batter. As she explains in Outback Gourmet, besan flour is a little denser than other flours, so it benefits from a “lift”. By using bubbly soda water and mixing it in gently and slowly to retain as much of the air as possible, you get a great batter. “And I like to do this [mixing the soda water in] at the very last minute to keep as much bubble in as possible.”
Source: Outback Gourmet
In bhajis and pakoras and similar fried bites, the chickpea batter is what holds everything together. Take , redolent with curry powder, coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic and turmeric and turning red onion into a delicious fritter-y snack.
Pokora like these – with crunchy chickpea batter holding together a mix of cabbage, potato, spinach, chillies and spices- are a popular street food in Nepal. The also a rich a roasted tomato sauce, perfect for dipping.
And a bonus that is clearly not battered. But so delicious!
To show the wonderful versatility of chickpea flour, and to end on a sweet note, we give you . Condensed milk, ghee and chickpea flour. Just those, and some stirring and chilling, and you’ll have indulgent squares of sweet, earthy chickpea fudge.
Join Justine Schofield in , with double episodes screening 7.30pm Sundays on SBS Food Channel 33 from 31 March, and then available on .
Source: Brett Stevens
