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Beans, lentils & pulses · Flours

Sattu (roasted gram flour)

Flour of roasted, husked black chickpeas, mixed into savoury drinks and used to stuff litti and parathas.

Also called: sattu atta, roasted chana flour, roasted gram flour, chane ka sattu

Around the world: sattu, सत्तू (hi)

A kind of chickpea flour

3 recipes with it

What it is

A ready-roasted flour, usually of black chickpeas (kala chana), and sometimes blended with roasted barley. It is a staple of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Unlike raw besan (chickpea flour), sattu is already roasted, so it can be eaten mixed with water without cooking, and it has a nuttier, earthier taste and a slightly coarser texture.

How it’s used

  • Whisked with water, lemon, salt and cumin into sattu sharbat
  • Spiced filling for litti and sattu parathas
  • Mixed into laddoos with jaggery and ghee
  • Thickening for some dals and dumplings

Characteristics

Taste
Toasty, nutty and earthy.
Texture
Fine to slightly gritty, dry flour.
Appearance
Pale beige to light brown powder.
When cooked
Absorbs water fast and thickens; cooks quickly as it is pre-roasted.
Sold as
powder
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Used for thickening
Common in
Indian

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in an airtight container in a cool place; refrigerate in hot, humid weather. Discard if it smells rancid or musty.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Some sattu is blended with barley, which contains gluten; check the pack if that matters.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
387 kcal
Protein
22.39 g
Carbohydrate
57.82 g
Fat
6.69 g
Fibre
10.8 g
Sugars
10.85 g

USDA FoodData Central: Chickpea flour (besan) (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Chickpea flour — Dry-roast besan in a pan until fragrant and a shade darker; not quite as nutty.

Related ingredients

Recipes with sattu (roasted gram flour)