Pure & Sure

Besan (Gram Flour)

₹125.00(₹0.24 per gram)

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Size 500g 1kg

Single-ingredientHigh proteinHigh fibreZero additives

CLEANOne ingredient, stone-ground and unbleached.

Besan stone-ground from a single ingredient — organic chana dal — with nothing bleached, blended or added to it. Slow stone milling keeps the flour dense and slightly coarse rather than powdery, which is what gives a pakora batter its cling and a chilla its structure. The colour is a muted yellow, not the bright one that dyed besan carries. The brand steam-sterilises rather than bleaching or fumigating, and mills from chana dal grown in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It behaves the way besan is supposed to: nutty, absorbent, and quick to catch in a hot pan.

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₹125.00

Why We Like It

Stone-ground, and one ingredient: organic chana dal.
Stone-grinding keeps the grain from overheating, which is what turns besan pasty and dull.
22 g of protein per 100 g, and besan is a known target for pea and khesari flour blending.

Ingredients

Organic chana dal (100%)

Single ingredient

Bengal gram, stone-ground into flour with nothing blended in.

No added colour

Not used

None declared; metanil yellow is an illegal dye used to brighten dull or aged besan.

No bleaching agent

Not used

Brand states the flour is unrefined and unbleached, so no benzoyl peroxide or chlorine-type flour treatment.

No filler flour

No pea, maize or khesari flour

The cheaper flours besan is commonly cut with.

Steam sterilisation (process, not an ingredient)

Process note

Brand states the flour is steam-sterilised for microbial safety rather than fumigated or chemically treated.

Nutrition factsPer 100g

Energy kcal: 385 kcal
Protein g: 22 g
Carbohydrate g: 63 g
Total sugars g: 0 g
Added sugars g: 0 g
Dietary fibre g: 9.8 g
Total fat g: 4.8 g
Saturated fat g: 0.63 g
Trans fat g: 0 g
Cholesterol mg: 0 mg
Salt g: 0.16 g

Pure & Sure Besan versus other besans

What to compare	Purepicked	Regular besan
Ingredient list	Organic chana dal only	May be blended with pea, maize or khesari flour
Milling	Stone-ground, unrefined	Often roller-milled and over-fine
Colour	Muted natural yellow	Metanil yellow is a documented dye adulterant
Treatment	Steam-sterilised	Fumigation and bleaching are common, and never appear on a label
Farming	Certified organic, PGS processor code on pack	Conventional; residues not published

Is It For You?

Good for

Pakoras, bhajis, chillas and kadhi

Besan laddoo, burfi and traditional sweets

Binding for kebabs, tikkis and batters

High-protein diet

Avoid if

Chickpea or legume allergy

How to use

Sift before use; stone-ground besan settles and clumps in the pack

Whisk water in gradually to a smooth batter rather than all at once

Dry-roast gently over low heat for laddoos until the raw smell lifts

Use as a binder in kebabs and tikkis, or to thicken kadhi

What to look for in Besan?

Maida is the cheapest filler in any atta. If it appears on the ingredient list at all, part of what you are paying for is refined flour.

Stone-ground (chakki) flour keeps the germ and bran. Roller-milled flour usually does not. The pack should say which.

Unbleached flour is off-white and slightly uneven. A bright, uniform white usually means bleaching or heavy refining.

Whole flours go rancid faster because the germ is still in there. Buy a size you will finish in a couple of months.