Besan burfi, a traditional Indian fudge of chickpea flour slow-toasted in ghee with cardamom and sugar. A four-ingredient festival sweet cut into diamond pieces.
Boondhi raita with golden chickpea-flour pearls soaked into thinned yogurt and seasoned with chaat masala. The cool, tangy Indian side that calms a fiery curry in one spoonful.
Indian pakoras made with chickpea flour batter spiced with garam masala, coriander, and turmeric. Dip eggplant, potato, pepper, mushroom, or onion and fry until crisp. The chaiwala classic at home.
Nargisi kofta wraps spiced ground beef and besan around hard boiled eggs, fries them golden, then simmers in a tomato-yogurt curry. Mughlai showstopper named for the narcissus flower.
Punjabi besan kofta curry with crispy chickpea flour dumplings stuffed with dried plums, simmered in a rich tomato-onion gravy with garam masala and ghee. A show-stopping vegetarian main dish from North Indian kitchens.
Pakoras: crisp Indian fritters of onion, potato, and spinach dipped in spiced chickpea-flour batter and deep-fried to golden crunch. Monsoon-season street food at its finest.