Flour is an essential ingredient in cooking. Today we will tell you about the types of legume flour and how to make them at home and use them in your recipes.
Flour is found in our kitchens and in many products that we consume, without us being aware of the variety of flours available and the different uses. From making bread or cakes to cooking porridge, pasta and sauces, flour offers us endless cooking possibilities.
But let’s start at the beginning: What is flour?
Simply put, flour is a fine powder obtained by grinding grains, pseudocereals, legumes or nuts.
Probably the best known form is the first, which is the powder obtained when grinding grains such as wheat, rye or corn. However, today other types of powder are increasingly used in food preparation, creating industrial and artisan products.
legume flour
When we talk about flour, we usually think of flour made by grinding grains, but in reality, flour made from legumes is also often used. Some examples are green beans, lentils and peas.
The absence of gluten in legume flour is one of the main reasons for its growing popularity in recent years, making it ideal for the diet of people with celiac disease. But there are many other reasons why these flours are gaining more and more fans.
We all know that legumes are one of the most complete foods in our diet. Pulses are rich in vitamin B and minerals such as iron, magnesium, fiber and proteins and retain all their nutritional properties even after being ground into flour.
Chickpea flour
Chickpea flour has a very distinctive light yellow color and a very fine texture like rice flour.
It is obtained from chickpeas and has a high protein content of around 20%, making it a staple in vegetarian and vegan diets. In addition, it does not contain gluten, so people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease can easily use this flour.
How and When to Use Chickpea Flour in Cooking:
Its uses in the kitchen are diverse: from cake batter, pastries or crepes to delicious pancakes, falafel or croquettes.
However, to bake bread you have to mix it with other types of flour. Due to its properties, it can replace the egg in many preparations. An example: a vegetarian potato omelette.
It is also part of the famous Fainá, a type of pizza.
Green bean flour
Even today, many people do not know that green beans are legumes and not vegetables. This probably doesn’t happen often in Europe because we are so used to eating them fresh and serving them as a side dish with other dishes. However, in Asia and Africa, beans are eaten dried.
Like chickpea flour, bean flour contains a high protein content (23%). For this reason, it is increasingly used in diets without animal protein. It is also gluten-free and low in carbohydrates (40% compared to 70% for wheat).
How and When to Use Green Bean Flour in Cooking:
Bean flour can be used in baking recipes and savory preparations such as vegetarian burgers, pasta and cake batters.
Lentil flour
The lentil flour obtained by grinding these grains has a very mild and pleasant taste. This powder is a good source of protein.
Like chickpea flour or bean flour, lentil flour is ideal for people who cannot eat gluten and eat a diet free of animal proteins.
How and when to use lentil flour in cooking:
It is often used in doughs, as a thickener, and in recipes as a substitute for products containing animal ingredients. These can be, for example, lentil flour tortillas or savory cakes.
How to make legume flour at home
You can buy legume flour ready-made in diet or health food stores, but it is also possible to make it yourself from the whole grain.
Ingredients:
- Dried legumes: 1 kilogram
elaboration:
- Grind the pulses in small batches until you see a fine powder formed. You can use a coffee grinder or a food processor.
- Pass the legumes through a fine sieve at least a few times.
- Store the resulting flour in a completely airtight container in the refrigerator.
The excellent nutritional properties of legume flours, as well as the exquisite taste they give and their great versatility for any recipe, largely explain the growing enthusiasm of lovers of good food for this product.
With information from: