In Indian cookery, gram flour is often used to produce snacks, bread, and side dishes.
The flour is manufactured from legumes (beans) and is significantly finer in texture than cornmeal.
Gram flour has a high carbohydrate content but little fiber.
As a result, it may be beneficial to persons who are overweight.
If you are unfamiliar with the taste of gram flour because you have never tasted it, you may wish to use another substitution since this ingredient has a strong flavor that many people dislike.
In this post, we will explore different gram flour replacements that you might attempt to avoid the harsh flavor.
Contents
What exactly is Gram Flour?
Gram flour, or besan, is a common component in many Indian recipes.
It is somewhat nutty and prepared with ground split chickpeas (also known as chana dal).
It is a flexible product that may be used to produce everything from sauces and nibbles to souffles and desserts.
When purchasing gram flour, search for one that has been roasted, since this will improve the flavor.
Since the flour contains a lot of oil, it should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Gram flour is often available in white or brown variations.
This has no effect on the flavor, although brown gram flour may include fragments of skin, giving foods a somewhat gritty texture.
If you’re going to use gram flour in a cooked dish, such as a sauce or casserole, you should use white rather than brown gram flour.
The latter is also unsuitable for use in meals where the batter must be light and fluffy.
The 5 Greatest Gram Flour Substitutes
If you are unable to get gram flour for your recipe, we have identified the five finest replacements below:
1 tablespoon chickpea flour
Chickpea is a seed-producing legume.
The yellow component is similar to gram flour.
It has a nutty taste that complements a variety of foods.
Chickpeas are often used in the preparation of hummus, falafel, and pasta.
This food is often manufactured with white chickpeas, therefore some have a smooth texture.
Some, however, are prepared with yellow split peas.
This flour is preferred by users over the more costly almond flour.
This is due to its ability to generate healthful, grease-free baked foods.
The main thing to remember about chickpea flour is that it does not contain gluten.
This implies that those who are gluten intolerant may use it in their cookery.
2 cups rice flour
Rice flour is created from finely milled rice and has a neutral taste.
It’s as adaptable as chickpea flour.
This component is often found in cake mixes and ice cream recipes and is typically utilized in sweet foods.
Rice flour may also be used to bread meats or fried fish.
This is due to the dough producing a crispy surface, which is ideal for the frying process.
It’s also wonderful in flatbreads and waffles.
It should be noted that rice flour is gluten-free.
This component, on the other hand, is often made using wheat starch or soy sauce.
Check the ingredients list before serving if you have a gluten allergy or intolerance.
3 cups corn flour
If you can’t use rice flour in your recipe, corn flour is a fantastic replacement.
This product has the same feel as rice flour, making it ideal for baking.
It is vital to note that this component is more widely available than gram flour.
It may be found at grocery stores or specialist shops that serve Indian cuisine.
Cornflour is used to give meat a crisp coating.
It may, for example, cover pork chops or chicken before frying them in hot oil.
You may also use this ingredient to make quick bread, which often has a crumbly texture.
The dough will absorb less fat than almond flour recipes.
4 cups quinoa flour
While quinoa flour includes gluten, it is one of the healthiest flours available.
This nutty-flavored ingredient is often used in bread and cakes.
It may also be used to thicken sauces in masalas.
This flour is often prepared from ground white or red quinoa seeds.
It has a soft and smooth feel in either case.
You may not be able to get quinoa flour in shops.
Instead, this product is often found online or at Indian grocery shops.
It’s important to know that quinoa flour contains a lot of potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium.
As you would expect, this is ideal for vegetarians, vegans, and anybody looking for an alternative to traditional flours.
Many individuals like it because it tastes good.
5 tbsp millet flour
If quinoa flour is unavailable, millet flour is an excellent replacement.
This product has a moderate taste, making it ideal for baking.
Also, the dough will absorb less fat than if almond or coconut flours were utilized.
This ingredient is used in bread and cakes to make them healthier and lighter in flavor.
They also utilize it in Indian cuisines like kheer and upma.
This product is often found at health food stores or online specialty stores.
When purchasing millet flour, carefully examine the ingredients list to guarantee it is gluten-free.
Conclusion
Gram flour may be used in place of rice flour, maize flour, quinoa flour, and millet flour.
Those who wish to eat properly would cook with it since it has several health advantages.
It’s also gluten-free and can be found at most grocery stores or specialist stores that serve Indian cuisine.
If gram flour is unavailable, rice flour may be used.
It has a mild taste and is ideal for baking.
If you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, you should exercise caution since many recipes involve wheat flour or soy sauce.
