Fresh Besan: Tips to Select Fresh Besan for Your Indian Cooking
Fresh besan is an indispensable item in Indian kitchens. Gram flour (besan) is one of the key ingredients in making besan chilla, pakora, kadhi, dhokla, ladoos, sev, gatte, cheela, and numerous other dishes.
However, does freshness really play a role in selecting besan? What are the factors that should be considered when buying fresh besan online?
We will learn more about what is fresh besan, the process of manufacturing fresh besan, how to choose fresh besan online, and proper storage of besan in our guide below.
What is Fresh Besan?
Fresh besan is a flour made out of finely grounded chana dal or Bengal gram. Usually, freshly ground besan possesses pleasant smell, even texture, and natural yellow color.
It differs from simply purchasing cheaper flour by the quality of raw material, milling, packaging, and storage process.
Fresh besan can be used to make:
Besan chilla
Pakoras
Kadhi
Dhokla
Besan ladoo
Sev
Gatte
Cheela
Indian snacks and sweets
Reasons for Fresh Besan Choice
When it comes to daily use, freshness can become an important component of the overall cooking experience.
1. Natural Aroma
A freshly milled besan flour might have a nice nutty aroma that fits perfectly into traditional Indian recipes.
2. Consistent Texture
The best besan should provide smooth consistency and help create a smooth batter when cooking such dishes as chilla, pakora, kadhi, etc.
3. Variety of Indian Dishes
From breakfast to evening snacks and sweets, fresh besan can be applied in both sweet and savoury dishes.
4. Ready-to-use Daily Product
Having a pack of quality besan at hand allows preparing a dish quickly—from besan chilla for breakfast to crisp pakoras for the evening tea.
Difference Between Fresh Besan and Regular Besan
There is a number of different besans available on the market; the quality of such products may differ depending on the quality of chickpeas, milling, packaging and storing conditions.
Fresh Besan Regular Besan
| Fresh Besan | Regular Besan | ||
| Focus on freshness |
Freshness depends on storage |
||
| Pleasant natural aroma |
|
||
| Consistent texture when properly milled |
|
||
| Suitable for everyday cooking | Suitable for everyday cooking | ||
| Available as fresh besan online |
|
Freshness is just one of the components of quality. Consider the quality of the ingredient, packaging, production and storing conditions.
How to Get the Best Besan
While looking for the best besan, do not consider the price alone.
Ingredients
The besan should contain mainly chickpea/Bengal gram. Before buying besan, make sure to have a look at its ingredient list.
Color
Besan of good quality normally has a yellow color. It shouldn't be judged by color, however, as colors may vary naturally depending on the batch.
Texture
It is better to buy fine and uniform gram flour to be used for making batters, sweet dishes, and other recipes.
Manufacturing Date
In case you want to buy fresh besan, you should pay attention to the manufacturing or packing date and best before info.
Proper Packaging
Good packaging helps prevent besan from being affected by moisture, contamination, and other smells from the outside world.
Fresh Besan for Pakoras
Nothing can be more delicious than crispy pakoras with afternoon tea. 🌧️☕
Fresh besan is great for making pakora batter.
You will be able to make:
Onion pakora
Potato pakora
Paneer pakora
Mirchi pakora
Mixed vegetable pakora
Palak pakora
To get crispy pakoras, make sure your batter is not too thick and cook the pakoras at a proper temperature.
Are you in a hurry for breakfast?
Then besan chilla will help you.
Just mix the besan with water, add spices, onion, tomato, coriander, and vegetables of your choice. Make a batter and then fry it on tawa.
Fresh Besan For Making Kadhi
Besan is yet another important ingredient in Indian kadhi.
This helps to achieve the consistency in kadhi and complements yogurt, spices and tempering nicely.
To enjoy a delicious homemade meal, you can have:
Kadhi + Rice + Achar = Comfort Food ❤️
Fresh Besan For Making Sweets
Besan is not only used in Indian savories but is also used to make Indian sweets such as:
Besan laddu
Besan barfi
Mohanthal
Besan halwa
The quality and freshness of the flour can help determine the aroma and taste of the dishes.
Can You Get Fresh Besan On The Internet?
Yes. You can get fresh besan on the internet.
When searching for fresh besan on the internet, you can compare:
Besan quality
Ingredients used
Size of the pack
Date of manufacturing/packaging
Packaging
Brand details
Reviews
Availability for delivery
Online grocery shopping can be easy for those looking for besan on the internet in India.
Storage Tips for Fresh Besan
After buying fresh besan, proper storage is key.
Here's what you need to do:
Put the besan in an airtight container after opening.
Store it in a cool and dry location.
Protect it from humidity.
Don't store it near strongly smelling spices.
Use only dry utensils when using the flour.
Check it before use when it's been stored for too long.
Correct storing guarantees high quality and aroma of your besan.
Fresh Besan for All Kitchens
A good pack of besan will turn into breakfast, snacks, dinner or dessert.
No matter whether you are making besan chilla in the morning, pakoras with the evening tea, kadhi for lunch or besan ladoos for celebrations – the choice of besan will allow you to make your cooking experience easier.
Hariom Atta & Spices gathers all your daily kitchen needs in one place, including fresh besan for your traditional Indian dishes.
FAQ about Fresh Besan
What is fresh besan?
Fresh besan is flour produced from Bengal gram or chana dal. Freshness means that it was freshly milled, packed and stored.
Is fresh besan the same as gram flour?
Yes. Besan is widely known as gram flour or chickpea flour. But product compositions might differ so check the label.
Where can I buy fresh besan online?
There are various websites to buy fresh besan online. Make sure to check the product information, packaging date, ingredient list and storage details before making the purchase.
What can I cook with fresh besan?
Fresh besan can be used to make pakoras, besan chilla, kadhi, dhokla, sev, gatte, besan ladoo and other dishes.
How should I store besan?
Besan should be stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry place protected from moisture and smells.
Is besan suitable for pakoras?
Yes. Besan is the main ingredient to make pakora batter.
