Gram Flour

Besan is the structural backbone of Pakistan's most beloved street food batter — pakoras would not exist without it, and neither would the snack-mix nimko. In Punjab it is the base of karhi, where it is whisked with yogurt and cooked into a sour, turmeric-yellow gravy. Besan ka halwa is a labor-intensive winter sweet that requires continuous stirring in ghee until the raw flour taste completely disappears — a test of patience and arm strength.