Hi all, any experience using chickpea flour? I want to use it to make
zucchini and cauliflower fritters.

On Mon, 11 May 2009 01:51:48 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
> wrote:

>Hi all, any experience using chickpea flour? I want to use it to make
>zucchini and cauliflower fritters.

Yes, I use it quite often for that kind of thing, I find it very kind
to bg levels.

Nicky.
T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
D&E, 100ug thyroxine
Last A1c 5.3% BMI 25

In article >,
Nicky > wrote:

> On Mon, 11 May 2009 01:51:48 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
> > wrote:
>
> >Hi all, any experience using chickpea flour? I want to use it to make
> >zucchini and cauliflower fritters.
>
> Yes, I use it quite often for that kind of thing, I find it very kind
> to bg levels.

Thank you! I was trying to remember what that was. A few weeks ago, I
had dinner with my sister at an Indian restaurant. We had a cauliflower
side dish. To our surprise, the cauliflower was breaded with something,
then fried. It was absolutely delicious, and my blood sugar was around
110 when I got home after a drive of a bit more than an hour (and the
same after two hours).

--
"[xxx] has very definite opinions, and does not suffer fools lightly.
This, apparently, upsets the fools."
---BB cuts to the pith of a flame-fest

On May 11, 4:41*am, Nicky > wrote:
> On Mon, 11 May 2009 01:51:48 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
>
> > wrote:
> >Hi all, any experience using chickpea flour? *I want to use it to make
> >zucchini and cauliflower fritters.
>
> Yes, I use it quite often for that kind of thing, I find it very kind
> to bg levels.
>
> Nicky.
> T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
> D&E, 100ug thyroxine
> Last A1c 5.3% *BMI 25

Good to know, thanks Nicky. I want to replicate a favorite middle
eastern dish I used to get at a neighborhood restaurant that is no
longer around. I thought the chickpea flour might come closer to
matching the unique taste, but now I'm wondering if they used lentil
flour.

On May 11, 4:03*pm, Alice Faber > wrote:
> In article >,
>
> *Nicky > wrote:
> > On Mon, 11 May 2009 01:51:48 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
> > > wrote:
>
> > >Hi all, any experience using chickpea flour? *I want to use it to make
> > >zucchini and cauliflower fritters.
>
> > Yes, I use it quite often for that kind of thing, I find it very kind
> > to bg levels.
>
> Thank you! I was trying to remember what that was. A few weeks ago, I
> had dinner with my sister at an Indian restaurant. We had a cauliflower
> side dish. To our surprise, the cauliflower was breaded with something,
> then fried. It was absolutely delicious, and my blood sugar was around
> 110 when I got home after a drive of a bit more than an hour (and the
> same after two hours).
>
> --
> "[xxx] has very definite opinions, and does not suffer fools lightly.
> This, apparently, upsets the fools."
> * * *---BB cuts to the pith of a flame-fest

Ah yes, vegetable pakora is one of my favorite dishes, and I forget
that chickpea flour was used. I wonder if it's just veggies dipped in
the flour and fried or if there is also an egg wash to make the flour
stick? I like cauliflower pakora with cilantro-mint chutney the best
and the restaurant version has always been pretty BG friendly for me.
But I guess it would take a lot of oil to fry them properly?

On Mon, 11 May 2009 22:53:14 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
> wrote:

>Ah yes, vegetable pakora is one of my favorite dishes, and I forget
>that chickpea flour was used. I wonder if it's just veggies dipped in
>the flour and fried or if there is also an egg wash to make the flour
>stick?

Try to grate or finely chop a range of veggies (onion, carrot, cabbage
are regulars here), and mix a smaller amount of flour than you think
into the veggies with your hands. The juices coming out of the veg
will hold them together when you firmly shape them into balls. They do
need deep-frying, but very little fat is absorbed. I fry them twice;
once to cook them through, with very few in the karai, then a second
time just before serving to colour them up and crisp them. YUM
They're a favourite meal with Indian fish cakes (no filler) and salad.
Fixed this way, they're called Bhajia. To make pakora, make a thickish
batter with the gram flour and dip the veggie pieces in water then dry
flour before frying.

Nicky.
T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
D&E, 100ug thyroxine
Last A1c 5.3% BMI 25

On May 12, 12:07*am, Nicky > wrote:
> On Mon, 11 May 2009 22:53:14 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
>
> > wrote:
> >Ah yes, vegetable pakora is one of my favorite dishes, and I forget
> >that chickpea flour was used. *I wonder if it's just veggies dipped in
> >the flour and fried or if there is also an egg wash to make the flour
> >stick? *
>
> Try to grate or finely chop a range of veggies (onion, carrot, cabbage
> are regulars here), and mix a smaller amount of flour than you think
> into the veggies with your hands. The juices coming out of the veg
> will hold them together when you firmly shape them into balls. They do
> need deep-frying, but very little fat is absorbed. I fry them twice;
> once to cook them through, with very few in the karai, then a second
> time just before serving to colour them up and crisp them. YUM
> They're a favourite meal with Indian fish cakes (no filler) and salad.
> Fixed this way, they're called Bhajia. To make pakora, make a thickish
> batter with the gram flour and dip the veggie pieces in water then dry
> flour before frying.
>
> Nicky.
> T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
> D&E, 100ug thyroxine
> Last A1c 5.3% *BMI 25

Nicky thanks, that gives me a good idea of how to do them. I'm going
to the farmer's market tomorrow to load up on all the season veggies.
I'll fry up a big batch and indulge freely :-)

If I can impose on your good nature with a couple more questions....
Is gram flour the same as chickpea flour? Also, I was going to use
grapeseed oil to fry, but is there another more traditional frying
oil? (I can't easily find ghee around here and don't want to go
through the effort of making it)

On Tue, 12 May 2009 19:35:55 -0700 (PDT), Ricavito
> wrote:

>Is gram flour the same as chickpea flour?

Yes, also known as besan.

> Also, I was going to use
>grapeseed oil to fry, but is there another more traditional frying
>oil? (I can't easily find ghee around here and don't want to go
>through the effort of making it)

Yes, I feel the same - I just use whatever I can find with a high
smoke point and cheap. That's rice bran oil atm. It needs to be cheap
because I've got no patience and so use the biggest thing I own to fry
in, a steel karai or wok, and then throw the fat away afterwards, on
the assumption I've induced some trans fats. If I got my act together
and bought a small deep-fat fryer, I'd look harder for ghee : )

Nicky.
T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
D&E, 100ug thyroxine
Last A1c 5.3% BMI 25