Meaning & use
besan
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountableIndian
A flour made from ground chickpeas, used especially in South Asian cooking.
Grammar: Uncountable; used without 'a' or a plural: add besan to the batter.
Patterns
- besan flour
- a cup of besan
To make pakoras, mix besan with water and spices.
The recipe calls for besan, but you can use chickpea flour instead.
She thickened the curry with a spoonful of besan.
Common combinations
- besan flour
- Besan flour gives the fritters a nutty flavor.
- besan batter
- Dip the vegetables in a spiced besan batter.
- besan ladoo
- Besan ladoo is a popular sweet during festivals.
- roasted besan
- Roasted besan has a deeper color and aroma.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gram flour
- Gram flour is a broader term that can be made from different pulses, while besan specifically refers to chickpea flour.
- chickpea flour
- Chickpea flour is the general English term; besan is the South Asian name for the same product.
Commonly confused: besan or basin?
besan vs basin
Basin is a bowl or container, while besan is a type of flour. They sound similar but are completely different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'besan' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Besan' is a flour used in cooking, so it can be added to thicken a curry. The other options confuse it with 'basin', a bowl or container.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “besan”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.