Baked Pakoda(Healthy Bengal Gram Flour Snack)

Know what you Eat - Besan (Bengal gram flour) is very high in protein and very low in glycemic index. This bean from which this flour is made looks just like yellow split peas, but is quite different because it doesn't readily boil down to mush. It's more closely related to garbanzo beans, or chickpeas. The differences are that Bengal gram is younger, smaller, split, sweeter, and has a much lower glycemic index, in fact much lower than the Garbanzo(not the dark colored chick pea but the light one). Onions are a very good source of chromium, a molecule that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. Clinical studies of diabetics have shown that chromium can decrease fasting blood glucose levels,improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Chromium levels are depleted by the consumption of refined sugars and white flour products. High fructose corn syrup decreases this trace mineral too, so check for your labels when you buy food products in the store next time.

Bengal Gram Flour(Besan) is available in Asian Indian grocery store, or you can find it in the International Food Isle. Ever since i saw this recipe in Uma's blog i have tried it out several times. I atleast bake this once a week and it is awesome. Comes very handy for a after school snack for the kids as well as for moms to recharge.

Cooking Time - 20 mins
Preparation Time - 5 mins
Serves - 4

Ingredients

Chickpea Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Red onion (medium sized) - 1
Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp or to taste
¾ tsp Baking Powder
2 tbsp Butter, melted
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Little bit of water

Method

1) Preheat baking oven to 400 degrees.
2) Mix besan, chopped onions, cayenne pepper, rice flour, butter and salt. Add little bit of water and make a thick dough, you should be able to spoon it in a baking pan.
3) Grease a baking sheet and spoon the batter into small portions, leaving enough room for them to expand while baking.
4) Bake till the pakodas turn golden(not brown for around 15-20 minutes).
5) Serve it hot with ketchup of your choice.

Event Participation

This dish goes to Spill the beans- Sunday snack event hosted by Priya.

This dish goes to Low fat eggless baking event hosted by Madhu.

This dish goes to My legume love affair twelfth helping event hosted by Annarasa created by Susan.