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Make your own Chickpea flour Tofu. 10 min Non soy tofu made with Chickpea flour or Besan / gram flour. Easy Homemade Burmese tofu. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Tofu Nut-free Recipe. Pin this post!  Jump to Recipe Â
Burmese (chickpea) tofu is made by cooking split pea flour or chickpea flour and water batter until it thickens and can set. One of the other methods is to soak the split chickpeas, blend and use that batter. I make my chickpea tofu with chickpea flour and with less liquid so it is a sturdier, and quick version of Burmese tofu. This recipe makes about 2.5 to 3 cups cubed tofu which can be stored for a few days refrigerated.
The tofu can also be made with Chickpea flour (which is ground garbanzo beans (white chickpeas), pure besan / gram flour (which is flour of brown chickpeas (kala chana) or split brown chickpeas (chana dal)), or mixed flour besan which can have 2 different types of chickpea / split pea flour, or yellow split pea flour. Each of the flours need different amounts of liquid. Besan (gram flour) is also ground finer than white chickpea flour. Because of these differences, chickpea flour generally makes a thicker batter and needs more water to achieve the similar consistency as besan batter if the recipe was written with besan. Besan will need less liquid to make an equally sturdy tofu as Chickpea flour tofu. The tofu recipe below made with any of the flours, without adjusting the recipe will still be usable wherever needed. Depending on the flour used, the resulting tofu cubes might be soft or firm. Use less water for firmer and more water for softer chickpea tofu.Â
Chickpea flour is mixed with water to form a smooth batter. The batter thickens into a thick custard like consistency which sets and can be easily sliced. I use these properties of chickpea flour in many recipes, like this nut-free Nacho cheese slice, these chickpea flour pasta noodles and more.Â
This recipe is adapted from the spiced chickpea tofu in my book. You can use it as a substitute for soy tofu in many recipes. It does well in curries, tossed in dressing, in wraps, salads, also makes a great morning scramble, or egg salad!, breaded tofu etc. It also sticks to the pan like regular tofu while stir frying, if your pan isnt good ;).Â
Made these Buffalo Tofu Wraps with Chickpea flour tofu tossed in buffalo hot sauce.Â
More chickpea flour recipes from the blog
- Chickpea flour Pancakes – Indian Chilla
- Veggies in Chickpea flour Sauce- Sindhi Kadhi
- Besan Burfi – Chickpea flour fudge with condensed non dairy milk
- Fluffy chickpea flour Omelet
This tofu might not absorb marinades as quickly. So I generally prefer to flavor the tofu itself while making it. Â Mix in herbs, spices and flavors into the batter before cooking it. That way the tofu is already infused with a profile depending on where you are using it. I usually add garam masala and cayenne when using in curries and some soy sauce and lemon when adding to asian fusion, some italian herb blend for other uses like a mashed up marinated tofu salad.Â
Blend the chickpea flour water and spices into a smooth batter. Cook over medium heat. the batter will start to get lumpy after a minute or so.
Keep stirring frequently. The batter will eventually thicken evenly and become custard like.Â
Cook for another 2 minutes so the chickpea flour is cooked through. You can taste the mix carefully at this point to ensure that the chickpea flour doesnt taste raw and adjust salt if needed. the mixture will also start to come away from the pan.Â
Transfer the custard to a parchment lined container. Cool for 10 minutes then refrigerate for about an hour.
Remove from parchment, cube and use.Â
Keep refrigerated for upto 4 days.Â
Chickpea Flour Tofu Recipe
Ingredients Â
- 1 cup chickpea flour/ garbanzo bean flour, , or if using besan, use 1 1/4 cup besan/ gram flour
- 1/2-3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric, optional, for color
- 1/4 tsp cumin or garam masala, optional
- 1 3/4 cup water
InstructionsÂ
- Grease a bread pan or line with parchment and keep ready. (9 by 5 rectangle or any similar rectangle or smaller square pan).
- In a bowl whisk all the ingredients under chickpea tofu until there are no lumps, or use a blender..(or you can add the ingredients directly to the pan and whisk to combine). I use a blender for quick and smooth batter.
- Pour the chickpea flour mixture into a deep saucepan. Cook over medium heat. Stir continuously. The mixture will start to get lumpy as the pan heats up (see video) and then thicken evenly and considerably. 4 to 5 mins.
- Once the mixture is evenly thick and stiff, keep cooking for another 2 minutes so the chickpea flour gets cooked through. Also tap the spoon or spatula to drop the mixture stuck to it to the pan. If the mixture is starting to brown, reduce the heat to medium low. You can taste test the mixture at this point carefully, to ensure that there is no raw chickpea flour flavor and adjust salt if needed.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan or parchment and even it out using a spatula or another parchment if needed. Let it cool, then refrigerate for atleast an hour to set.
- Remove the set slab from the pan. Slice into cubes. Store in an airtight container refrigerated for upto 4 days. The tofu can leak some moisture while it sits. drain and use.
Video
Notes
Add nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor or other herbs and flavors of choice.  To use in stir fries or curries: Crisp in a tsp of oil until golden on some edges. (see this recipe).  Nutrition is for 1 serve
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi there 🙂 Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe 🙂
I was wondering if you are able to and or had tried to freeze the tofu? (Even if it may not be as amazing when you defrost it! 😉 -and how long it lasts in the freezer?) Also when you go to use it after it has been refrigerated (Or defrosted) do you re heat the ‘tofu’ on the stove on a pan or in the microwave?
Thank you for your time and consideration I really appreciate it.
Take care and keep safe 🙂
I haven’t frozen it yet. Freeze some and let me know how it affects or doesnt affect the flavor and texture. the tofu pieces can be thawed and used as oyu would used them when fresh.
Any alternate to garlic powder?
omit it or add a pinch of asafetida.
It just occurred to me, after reading your post, that the polenta I devoured last week is a corn tofu! 🙂
🙂
I think you should change how long it takes you to do this recipe. I thought it would take 10 minutes but then it has to chill for an hour – very misleading in the recipe. If it takes an hour until I can eat it, then ITS NOT A 10 MINUTE RECIPE!
10 minutes active time. You can let it cool for 5-10 mins, slice and use if you like. it will just be softer tofu.
@Julia: Jeez. Read the times at the head of the recipe. Prep time: 5 min; cook time 10 min; total 15 min. Those times mean total prep time. How you finish the recipe will add time to the final time.
@Richa: Thanks, Richa. I make chickpea tofu from a different, but similar, recipe, and it’s delicious. I sometimes add finely minced garlic, minced sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and other seasonings. The sky’s the limit as far as flavorings go. Go wild!
Do you think it must be bean flour? Could I use coconut flour?
Coconut flour just absorbs all the liquid and does not have a custard like thickening property, so it will not work. You can use lentil flour.
Hi. What is the difference between chickpea flour and besan flour and gram flour? I thought they were all the same thing. Thank you!
I explain in the first 3 paragraphs of the post. They are different chickpeas and often ground to different texture. See the above paragraphs where I mention what chickpeas and their names, and how it matters when using one for the other in recipes, if the recipe is specifically uses one.