Did You Want To Know More About The Different Varieties Of Lentils?
Black Eye Beans Other Names:- Black-eyed pea, Cowpea, Crowder pea, Lobhia, Lombia, Black-eye bean
Black Eye Beans have a distinct savoury flavour with a ‘dry’ but creamy texture and are a staple base for many Indian curries. Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in fibre and high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure.
Chana Dal
Other Names:- Bengal Gram, Kadale Bele, Kadalai Paruppu
It is an important lentil in Indian cooking as it is very tasty, robust and versatile. It resembles the yellow split pea in colour and size, although it is smaller and sweeter, with a nutty flavour. Chana Dal is often combined with sweeter vegetables, such as Pumpkin and Zucchini.
Chick Peas Other Names:- Garbanzo bean, Garbanzo pea, White chickpea, Ceci bean, Cici bean, Egyptian pea, Kabuli channa, Kabli chana, Kabli channa, Chole
Chick Peas are pale and light brown and are used whole. When cooked, they have a firm but tender texture and add good colour and a nutty flavour to dishes. They can be used in stews, soups and salads as well as curry recipes. In North India they are often made into the popular Chola/Channa masala (chill) dish.
Good source of protein, manganese, dietary fiber, copper, phosphorus, and iron. Eating chickpea can lower “bad” cholesterol, give you energy, stabilize blood sugar, and provide antioxidant effects.
Pigeon Peas Other Names:- Pigeon pea, Gunga pea, Congo pea, Angola Pea, No-eye pea, Red gram, Toor, Gunds pea, Arhur
Toor Dal
Toor dal is the most widely used dal in India. This ocher-coloured split pea has a slightly sweet, nutty flavour. It can be used in dhals and is a main ingredient in traditional South Indian Sambar and Rasam soup.
Mung Beans
Whole Mung Beans / Moong Beans are small, yellowish-green beans. The whole beans are quite different from the split ones: they have a stronger flavour and so are seldom interchangeable. In India, they are cooked with a variety of spices and other vegetables to make delicious dhals and curries. They are particularly easy to digest and take on seasonings and spices well.
Split Mung Dal Hulled Mung Dal (Moong)
Other Names:- Dhuli Moong, Payatham Paruppu
These are yellow lentils that have been hulled (without skin) and split. They are particularly easy to digest and take on seasoning and spices well, so are often made into spicy dhals.
Red Chowri Other Names:- Red Cow Beans, Aduki Beans
Great lentil variety, but now popular in the west. It goes very well with Pumpkin, Squash or on it’s own as well.
Red Kidney Beans
Other Names:- Rajma
Soak over night and drain. With fresh water, beans must be boiled rapidly for 15-minutes on pressure cooker then drain all water (important water will be toxic). Add freshly boiled water, cover and simmer for 30-minutes until tender.
Red Lentils Other Names:- Masoor Dal
Red lentils have a delicate, nutty taste and are used to make soups, stews and pasta sauces, as well as delicious spicy dhals.
Urid Whole Split Urid Dal Hulled Urid Dal (Urad Dal) Other Names:- Urid Dal, Urad Dal, Ulutham Paruppu, Black lentils
Urid dal have been split and skinned. A common and popular legume, they are widely used all over India for making dhal or soups. Urid dal, along with rice, are used to make dosas, the crisp pancakes of southern India and also to make Poppadums. In South India, Urid dal is used as a seasoning with mustard seeds for curries.
TIPS:-
- Pulses and beans are agricultural produce and although it is machine cleaned, it should be examined carefully and washed thoroughly before use.
- To avoid indigestion, excess bloating and upset stomach use a generous amount of Garlic when cooking any Lentil.
- Chew properly and do not rush through with any food especially Lentils.