What are some common and tasty Indian snacks made with gram flour (besan)?

 Certainly! Gram flour, also known as besan, is a versatile and popular ingredient in Indian cuisine, especially when it comes to making delicious snacks. Here are some common and tasty Indian snacks made with gram flour along with their ingredients and recipes:

Besan Chilla (Gram Flour Pancakes): Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, cilantro, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt.

Gradually add water to the mixture and whisk until you get a smooth batter of pouring consistency.

Heat a non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat and grease it with a little oil or ghee.

Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and spread it gently to form a thin pancake.

Cook on both sides until golden brown and crispy.

Serve hot with chutney or yoghurt.

Kadi Pakora

Besan Ke Pakode (Gram Flour Fritters): Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 large potato, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, sliced potatoes, onions, green chillies, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida, baking soda (if using), and salt.

Gradually add water to the mixture and mix well to form a thick batter.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry until the pakoras turn golden brown and crispy.

Remove the pakoras using a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Serve hot with green chutney or tamarind chutney.

Besan Cheela (Stuffed Gram flour Pancakes): Ingredients: For the stuffing:

• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup crumbled paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

For the pancake:

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions:

For the stuffing, mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine gram flour, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt to make the pancake batter. Add water and whisk until you get a smooth pouring consistency.

Heat a non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat and grease it with oil or ghee.

Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and spread it to form a thin pancake.

Spread a layer of the potato-paneer stuffing on half of the pancake and fold it over to cover the stuffing.

Cook on both sides until the pancake is golden brown and the stuffing is heated through.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with chutney.

These are just a few examples of tasty Indian snacks made with gram flour. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients and flavours to create your variations! Enjoy your cooking and snacking