I came across chickpea flour almost by accident, though I had spied it before in the bins at the health food store. Chickpeas themselves are no mystery, of course — they're those cute round beans at the salad bar with the nutty flavor, also called garbanzo beans.

I also knew chickpeas were the base for falafel, a vegetarian meatball eaten in pita bread. But this Middle Eastern legume takes on a whole new set of uses as it moves from the Middle East to Asia and Europe. Roasted and ground into flour, the chickpea has some unusual properties that make it the perfect base for healthy savory snack, the culinary Holy Grail I had been searching for in the first place.

I wanted to make some kind of hearty, high-protein snack that could be eaten on the run without refrigeration. Everywhere in America, such grab-and-go items tend to be sweet, or they're in chip form, and neither truly satisfies hunger pangs in reasonable quantities.

My quest took me first to India, a world of tasty snacks in a place where refrigeration is not common. Many savory Indian snacks turn out to be made of “;gram flour,”; or “;besan,”; which turns out to be ground roasted chickpeas. In Indian groceries such as Indian Market, on Beretania, besan is cheaper than all-purpose flour — about $4.20 for 2 pounds — though it gives you far more sustenance per penny.

Indians use besan as a base for pancakes, crackers and various types of pastry, flatbread and fritters, some of which are easy to make. Indian women even use it as a facial exfoliant and depilatory.

The surprising thing about snacks made with chickpea flour is their texture. Deep-fried snacks don't go mushy and limp after an hour, but turn chewy. Even after a couple of days in the refrigerator, they're still good to eat, though they lose their crunch, of course. Flatbreads and pancakes don't go hard and dry, but retain their custardy, springy center.

And the taste is not at all like wheat flour, but closer to what you would expect from a bean: nutty, bland and rich. Some people love the taste; I found it a bit metallic at first, but it grew on me to the point where I crave it. Also, chickpea flour snacks don't need salt, as potatoes do; they have enough flavor to be eaten plain.

That's probably why the versatile chickpea, one of the oldest recorded crops, makes an appearance in dozens of cuisines. Cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, chickpeas also appear in the Mediterranean, where the flour is used in snacks similar to those in India. A simple pancake made of chickpea flour, water and seasonings is called besan dosa in India, socca in southern France, farinata in Italy, and tortillita (when mixed with seafood) in southern Spain.

Chickpea fritters are known as panisse in France and panelle in Italy, and bhaji or pakora in India. On the island of Crete, and in parts of Turkey, Albania and Macedonia, there is a bread called eftazimo made of fermented chickpeas that takes days to make, years to master, and is legendary for its exquisite flavor.

In all but the last case, it's the simplicity of preparation that appeals. Dough made of chickpea flour needs no eggs or other binders; it contains no gluten, so it doesn't require kneading (though it does benefit from a “;rest”; before cooking). For people sensitive to wheat or eggs, chickpea makes a convenient gluten-free, vegan base for pastry, pizza crust, flat breads and pancakes, as well as a binder to use in place of eggs.

Croquettes are a popular variation on the ubiquitous chickpea fritter — think falafel — but one of the most unusual preparations comes from Burma, where chickpea flour is made into a kind of tofu. Cooked into a thin gruel and allowed to solidify in a pan as it cools, the cake is cut into squares and eaten cold in a salad or deep-fried to go with spicy dips or noodle soups.

NUTRITION IS undoubtedly a major reason chickpeas have been cultivated for millennia. Like most legumes, they can be combined with whole grains to make a complete, low-cost protein that is also low in fat and high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. They are a good source of folate, Vitamins C and B6, copper and zinc, and also provide calcium, iron and manganese.

And while it's true that many snacks made with chickpea flour are deep-fried, they do not seem to absorb as much oil as does wheat flour, especially if you make sure the oil is hot and let the fritters drain immediately on paper towels. Days later, they won't taste greasy, but more like chewy breading.

Following are some of the most popular types of simple snacks, which are open to endless variation. Chickpea flour takes better to savory flavors than sweet, but the sky is the limit as far as spicing: Indian snacks employ tons of curry and hot peppers, while Mediterranean ones rely on garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can add all manner of fresh herbs, or try Asian flavors —ginger, sesame oil, shoyu — in a new twist on tempura, katsu or the simple scallion pancake.

Use the flour as a more nutritious binder for meatballs, or a thickener for stews. Keep a bag around for last-minute flat breads, crepes or pancake-type pupus. And while most recipes tell you to let the chickpea flour rest an hour or two, I have found no harm from cooking it right away.

Besides Indian Market, you can find chickpea flour in the bulk bins at Down to Earth, and packaged (usually Bob's Red Mill “;garbanzo bean flour,”; around $3.60 for 22 ounces) at natural groceries and in the natural foods section of some supermarkets.

SOCCA (CHICKPEA PANCAKE)

Adapted from Mark Bittman, New York Times

1-3/4 cups chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped herbs or red onion (optional)

Combine the chickpea flour, salt and cumin in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and enough water to form a thick pancake batter, about 1-1/2 cups. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450.

Heat a heavy skillet until very hot and add a generous coating of oil. Pour in batter and swirl to make a pancake. Scatter herbs across the top and bake until set, about 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle heavily with black pepper before cutting into wedges.

Serves 6. Also good with caramelized onion and/or roasted garlic.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (assumes 1 tablespoon oil per pancake): 300 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 6 g protein.

TORTILLITAS (SEAFOOD PANCAKE)

Adapted from “;From Tapas to Meze,”; Joanne Weir (Ten Speed Press)

Olive oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley or other herbs (try chives, cilantro or parsley)
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
8 ounces finely chopped shrimp (or other seafood)
Large pinch cayenne (optional)
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, fried until just limp (optional)

Combine the flours, baking soda, salt and pepper. Add the spices and herbs, seafood, optional green onions and enough water to make a batter with the consistency of heavy cream, about 1-1/2 cups. Let rest 1 to 2 hours at room temperature.

Heat oil 1/4 inch deep in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Make pancakes, either large or silver-dollar size, and fry until golden, turning once, 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, cut into wedges if large, and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (not including salt to taste): 210 calories, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 125 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 11 g protein.