Besan flour is a staple in Indian and Bangladeshi dishes. The flour is from milling roasted chickpeas and gives food dishes a nutty flavor with a heartier texture. You can bake with besan flour, making anything you would with all-purpose flour such as cakes, cookies, pizza dough and breads. Besan flour has 387 calories per cup and is high in fiber, calcium and protein, making it a healthier alternative to all-purpose flour.

Substitute besan flour for all-purpose flour. Cakes and breads will not rise as much with besan flour and will be thicker in texture.

Sift the flour twice before adding it to any baking recipe to increase air surrounding the flour. This incorporates more air into the recipe making lighter baked goods.

Increase yeast when baking breads and cakes to help the loft. Adjust recipes with an additional 50 percent of yeast. If the recipe calls for 2 tsp. of yeast, add 3 tsp. of yeast.

Add extra baking soda to recipes that don't call for yeast to aid in rising. Increase 1 tsp. of baking soda to 1 1/2. This helps create lighter texture with the soda bubbling through cooking.