Besan, chana atta, mota besan and sattu: what's the difference?

All four come from chana (chickpea), yet you can't swap one for another in most recipes. Here is how they differ and what each is for — all ground fresh on our stone chakki.

Besan (gram flour)

Fine flour ground from chana dal — desi chickpeas, split and skinned. Ours is 100% chana dal with nothing mixed in.

• For: pakoras, kadhi, besan chilla, dhokla, gatte, and binding kebabs and tikkis.
• Packs: 500 g · 1 kg

Mota besan (coarse besan)

The same 100% chana dal, ground coarse.

• For: besan laddoo and Mysore pak. The coarse grain gives laddoos their classic "daanedaar" bite.
• Mota besan for laddoo

Chana atta

Ground from whole chana, so it is darker and fuller in flavour than besan.

• For: missi roti (mixed with wheat atta), chana atta parathas and cheela.
• Chana atta

Sattu

Ground from roasted chana, so it is ready to eat without cooking.

• For: the summer sattu sharbat (salted with lemon and jeera, or sweet with gur), litti and sattu parathas.
• Chana sattu

A simple besan chilla

• Whisk 1 cup besan with water into a smooth, pourable batter.
• Add salt, a pinch of haldi, ajwain, chopped onion, tomato, green chilli and coriander.
• Rest it for 5 minutes, then spread a ladleful thin on a hot, oiled tawa.
• Cook until golden, flip, and serve with green chutney.

Why "100% chana dal" matters

Cheap besan is sometimes mixed with other, cheaper flours, and its colour is sometimes brightened artificially. Ours is chana dal only, ground after you order, with its natural pale-yellow colour.

Questions people ask

Can I use besan instead of sattu?

No. Besan is raw and must be cooked; sattu is roasted chana and can be stirred into water as it is.

Is chana atta the same as besan?

No. Besan is ground from skinned, split chana dal. Chana atta is ground from whole chana, so it is darker and coarser.

Which besan is best for laddoo?

Mota (coarse) besan gives the classic grainy laddoo; fine besan gives a smoother one.

See all single-grain flours · Unpolished chana dal

Updated 2026-11-09 · TransVeda, Udyog Vihar Phase 3, Gurgaon