| Besan chakki | |
| Alternate Name: | Besan katli, Besan khandli |
| Country: | India |
| Region: | North India |
| Course: | Dessert |
| Main Ingredient: | besan (gram flour), condensed milk, sugar |
| Variations: | Kaju katli, Dal Badam Chakki, Barfi |
Besan Chakki (Hindi: बेसन चक्की) or Besan Katli (Hindi: बेस्ट कतली) or Besan Khandli (Hindi: बेसन खण्डली) is a common chakki sweet from the Indian subcontinent.[1] It is made with besan (gram flour), condensed milk, and sugar.[2]
Besan chakki is compound of two words: besan and chakki. Besan refers to gram flour and is derived from Sanskrit word Vesana.[3] The word Chakki is derived from Sanskrit word Chakrikā.[4]
The sugar blends into a creamy texture that comes from the basic mixture, khoya. The mix is generally heated until the milk solidifies and is then placed in molds of different shapes—diamond, square or sometimes round.
It is usually garnished with sliced or chopped almonds or pistachios. It is sometimes called "Indian cheesecake", though it contains no cheese. Variations of the dish include apricot, mango and coconut flavorings.
The presence of Besan provides very smooth texture, thus makes Khoya an optional ingredient.
Sometimes, unsweetened version of besan chakki or besan katli/khandli can be used to make a vegetable preparation. This vegetable preparation is very popular in Rajasthani and Haryanvi cuisine and is known by names like Chakki ro saag, Besan Katli ka saag, Khandli ka saag etc.[5]