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Besan

Besan is finely milled chickpea flour used for batters, savoury pancakes, fritters, dumplings, breads and sweets, where it sets when cooked.

Besan — illustrative ingredient image

About Besan

Besan is chickpea flour, a staple ingredient in Indian cooking. It is used for batters, savoury pancakes, breads, dumplings, fritters, and sweets. It thickens mixtures when hydrated and develops a set or crisp texture when cooked, so its role depends on the amount of liquid and the cooking method.

Dry besan has a mild legume aroma and a nutty, earthy flavour that becomes fuller when toasted or cooked. Mixed with water, it forms a smooth to slightly grainy batter or dough. Cooked besan may become tender, firm, crumbly, or crisp depending on the recipe.

Besan is a pale yellow flour made by milling chickpeas, usually to a fine consistency, though coarser grinds also occur. It may be sifted before use. It can be whisked into liquid, combined with spices and vegetables, shaped into doughs, or toasted in a pan before being incorporated into sweets and savoury dishes.

Ingredient type
flour

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Where besan appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for besan

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Besan

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Besan nutrition & diet

Besan nutritional value

Flour, chickpea (besan)

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the stated food form.

Calories
328.2kcal
Protein
19.7g
Carbs
38.5g
Fat
5.5g

Reference values apply to the named food form, not every preparation, variety or brand. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F003986. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Use references for besan made from milled chickpeas and match the dry flour or cooked preparation. Batter frying, roasting, boiling, or combining with oil, sugar, dairy, or vegetables changes the resulting food. Record whether the portion is dry flour, batter, or finished dish.

Compare the right form: Match references to chickpea besan, specifying milling, dry flour versus cooked product, brand, and any blended pulses or grains.

Diet considerations

Besan is plant-derived chickpea flour. Compatibility changes if a batter or sweet includes dairy, egg, animal fat, or other additions. Recipes may also combine besan with cereal flours, sugar, or coatings, so the finished dish—not the plain flour alone—determines ingredient and carbohydrate patterns.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Flour, chickpea (besan) ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .