Besan Flour (Gram Flour), Stoneground

Bengal gram, stone-ground the slow way to keep the texture coarse and the flavour nutty. Stone-milling grinds at low temperature, which preserves character that high-speed roller milling flattens out, and Two Brothers mills this in-house rather than buying flour in. Worth knowing about this category: cheaper besan is very commonly cut with matar (pea) flour, which is paler, blander and considerably cheaper than chana. Real besan is a warm yellow with visible grain rather than a smooth pale powder, and a single-ingredient label from a farm that grows its own gram removes most of that doubt. Naturally gluten-free by ingredient, but here is the caveat that keeps this at Caution: it is processed in a facility that also handles wheat, so cross-contact is possible and this is not suitable for anyone coeliac. Six-month shelf life, shorter than most flours, which is consistent with minimal processing. Used for pakora, kadhi, dhokla and as a batter binder.