My new pleasant discovery is Chickpea flour. Gram Flour, that is. You have to consider my genetic tendency to all things carbs to understand why I am more than happy to keep tasting bread and pastry made with a flour containing less carbohydrates. Gram flour accounts for only 18% carbs while Corn flour usually reaches 30%.
This flour is packed with more nutrients compared to plain flour, vegetable protein and minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. And it is also gluten free and very versatile: I can use it to prepare my favorite dishes such as gnocchi, crepes, fresh pasta and veggie burgers. Yeah.
Made by grinding dried chickpeas, it is very popular in India and Bangladesh where it is much used both in savory dishes (as in the famous Indian vegetable Pakoras) and in desserts. In the vegan cuisine it is often used as a substitute for eggs and in Italy is the main ingredient for an old recipe named “Farinata”.
I wanted to try the chickpea flour for some time but neither Waitrose nor Sainsbury have ever had this product on their shelves since I started to look for it. Finally, when I was about to give up my search in favor of an online purchase, I bumped into a nice package of organic chickpea flour, see the pic below. Thanks Planet Organic, you never disappoint.
These pancakes do not disappoint either, being very fluffy and with a hint of aromatic saltiness typical of chickpeas. Great for both savory and sweet breakfasts. I enjoyed them with sauteed mushrooms and grilled paneer but I wish I had also prepared a saucy condiment to soak them in.
Chickpea Flour Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 cup 280 ml water
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Mix together the flour, water, salt. Crack in the egg and mix well. Let batter rest for a few minutes, at room temperature.
- Lightly oil a frying pan with a little oil, heat until very hot and add a ladle of batter. Cook until lightly golden. Turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook for 1 minute more.
- Repeat with the remaining pancake batter, re-oil the pan each time.
Just wondering in step one you only mention some of the ingredients, what about the rest? Steps 2 and 3 do not mention them either……
I was wondering the same thing… Is the oil just to oil the pan or to add to the batter?
Eating these as I type this. So good! By the way, I bought my gram flour from Sainsbury’s, so maybe things are looking up! This is such an easy recipe, I think it will become a staple in my house.
Good to know Melissa, I’ll have to shop at Sainsbury’s more often then! Glad you liked the pancakes 🙂
Mmm… so delish! We love chickpea/gram flour! It’s so tasty and nutritious in many indian recipes 🙂