Nothing short of a magical ingredient, besan or gram flour is a permanent product in Indian households. Also known as chana dal powder, this product is created by grinding either raw or roasted Bengal gram grains — mostly people use the roasted variety owing to its palatability over the unroasted one that tends to be slightly bitter.
Besan – Chana Dal
Used for both internal as well as external consumption, besan boasts of a long list of benefits.
Coming to nutrition, delicacies across countries in Southeast and East Asia have adapted besan as per regional tastes. Some parts of Southern Europe and North Africa, too, are known to use gram flour. An excellent source of carbohydrates and protein, besan is used to make pancakes, curries, tea snacks and much more in India. Across other mentioned parts of the world, gram flour is extensively used to make baked goods that have a beautifully indulgent aroma to them.
One can obviously not overlook the usage of besan in skin and hair care. Used since ancient times in the maintenance and achievement of flawless skin, besan has cleansing and brightening properties. In fact, its cleansing properties have also gained it an inevitable spot in several Indian traditions like weddings and pujas.
