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06- Types of Beans, Peas, and Lentils |
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Print this Recipe There are many forms of dals (legumes) used in India--whole, split, split with skin, skinned--you name it. Each variety and sub-variety is matched to specific preparations. Most dals keep well for a long time if stored in air-tight containers in a cool, dark place--just be very sure to keep out all moisture. Don't use a damp or moist cup or hands to remove any dal from the container. For best long-term care, you can throw a bay leaf or cinnamon stick into your dal container; it will add flavor and keep bugs away. If you stick to these rules, your dals may well keep indefinitely. That's why Indian cooks always have many different kinds of dals in their pantry. That way they are all available, whether to make an entrée focusing on one dal, or to just use a tablespoon to enrich a dish. Here is an introduction to the various Indian dals and beans I use. I list first all the smaller dals and then the larger whole beans, from the most common to the less common. I refer first to the Indian name, then the English name. For each dal form, I then describe it in English and provide the Indian and the English-Indian hybrid names you may see. All dais are available in Indian and some ethnic markets. Organize all of your own recipes with the Cook'n Recipe Software. Watch and see how easy it is! MUNG DAL Mung beans or green gram. This dal is one of the most basic in northern India. Small, kidney-shaped, and with a green skin, this dal is available as whole green mung beans with skin on (saabut mung or green mung dal), green split mung beans with skin on (chilkae vaali mung), and yellow skinned and split mung beans (dhulli mung or yellow mung dal). All these are considered easy to digest, especially the skinless yellow variety. The yellow skinned and split mung beans (dhulli mung) are often ground into a flour that is used to make a variety of savory dishes, treats, and snacks. MASOOR, MALIKA MASSOOR, OR MASSAR DAL Lentils. These familiar green-brown discs come in two sizes, with the common American variety being larger then the Indian ones. Both can be used interchangeably. This dal is available as green-brown whole lentils with the skin on (saabut masoor), red whole lentils without the skin, or red skinned and split lentils (dhulli masoor or red masoor dal). Like mung dal, they cook fast and digest easily. In fact, yellow mung and red lentils are often cooked together, because they cook in the same amount of time. TOOR, TUAR, ARHAR DAL Pigeon peas or red gram. These pale green whole beans are available more commonly as yellow-gold discs split and without the skin. They are very popular all over India, especially in the southern parts and along the west coast, where they lend themselves to a variety of preparations. Sold primarily in Indian markets as plain or oiled (to prevent infestation, which is more prevalent for this bean than others), both are essentially the same and can be used interchangeably. Like the mung and masoor dals, they are easy to cook and easy on the stomach. CHANNA, CHOLA DAL Yellow split chickpeas or split Bengal gram. This dal is very similar in appearance to yellow split peas, but is actually made from black chickpeas. Considered somewhat harder to digest, this dal is always cooked with something carminative (gas-reducing)--ginger, garlic, ground asafoetida, or ajwain seeds. URAD, MAAS, MAANH DAL Urad beans or black gram. These small, dull-black beans resemble green mung dal in appearance. They are available as black whole urad beans (saabut urad or black urad dal), as black split urad beans with skin on (chilkae vaali urad or split black urad dal) and as white skinned and split urad beans (dhulli urad or white urad dal). Considered hardest to digest among the dais, this dal takes a long time to soften and to digest and because of its dense nature, and often calls for a lot of spices and flavorings. Like yellow split and skinned mung beans, skinless white urad beans (urad dal) are often ground into a flour and used to make a variety of savories, treats, and snacks. MOTH, MUTH DAL Dew beans. These are a duller and much smaller version of whole green mung beans (saabut mung). They are available primarily in Indian stores. Sold whole and with skin, this dal is popularly used to prepare chaats (snack dishes with savory, tangy, and spicy flavors) and salads, such as Spicy Dew Bean Salad (see Salads), or crunchy savory munchies like dal-muth (pronounced moath), which are hot and spicy chip-like munchies found packaged at Indian markets. SOOKHAE MUTTAR AND MUTTAR KI DAL Dried peas and green and yellow split peas. Mutter dal is available whole or split without the skin. The whole ones are simply called dried green peas or sookhae muttar, and are cooked like black-eyed peas (lobia). When split, they are treated more like a dal. Yellow split peas are made from mature green peas (the vegetable) that turn yellow before they are dried and made into a dal. All these varieties are relatively easy to digest and lend themselves to an array of preparations, but are mostly prepared as chaats (snack dishes with savory, tangy, and spicy flavors), salads, and savory munchies. CHORI DAL Adzuki beans. These reddish-brown beans, slightly bigger than mung beans, are available in Indian and Asian stores, whole with skin on. Often prepared simply with a few spices, this dal cooks similarly to green whole mung beans and is quite easily digested. LOBIA Black-eyed peas or cow peas. Not quite as easily digested, lobia must be cooked well and for a long time with carminative (gas-reducing) spices--ginger, garlic, ground asafoetida, or ajwain seeds. RAAJMA Kidney or red beans. These are available everywhere in supermarkets and Indian markets. There is also another variety called chitree vaalae raajma, which is similar to pinto beans. I also include red beans and Mexican black beans in this category because they cook and taste like raajma, and take on Indian flavors very well. All these beans can be used interchangeably. CHANNAE, CHOLAE Chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or Bengal gram. These come as small or large tan heart-shaped beans or black heart-shaped beans. The tan chickpeas are easily available everywhere--both dried and pre-cooked and canned. The black variety are usually only sold in Indian markets. They are harder to digest than most other beans, but the black variety is considered to be far more nutritious than its tan counterpart. I frequently use canned chickpeas because they are so convenient. SOYA BEANS BHATMAS Soy beans. These beans are pale yellow and look like dried yellow peas, although they are not perfectly round. They are commonly grown in the United States, but Americans don't eat them much. They are only gaining in popularity as it becomes more apparent that soy is beneficial to health. Look for them in Indian markets and health food stores, and cook them as you would chickpeas and kidney beans. From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 06- Types of Beans, Peas, and Lentils is from the Cook'n in India collection. Click here to get this CD or download the recipes right now! Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, with recipes, cooking tips and more! Enjoy more recipes like this! 02- The Indian Philosophy of Food and Menu Planning 03- Menus 04- Helpful Hints __Curry Powders 05- Spices and Herbs Guide __Sprouted Beans vs. Bean Sprouts __Masala Pastes __Indian Pickles __Fritters __Frying Fritters __Steamed Fermented Rice Cakes __Savory Bean and Rice Cakes __Kabaabs __Grilling Marinades __Rasams __Dry-Roasting Spices __Dry-Roasting Nuts and Seeds __Dry-Roasting Flours __Boondi 07- Indian Cooking Glossary 08- Mail and Internet Sources __Roasting and Grilling Vegetables, Bell Peppers __Roasting and Grilling Vegetables, Eggplant __Clarified Butter and Indian Clarified Butter __Sonth Chutneys __Pastry Crackers and Puff Pastries __Stuffed Fried Pastries __Savory Croquettes and Dumplings __Potato Patties __Fresh Chopped Salads __Green Salads __Eggplant __Okra __Paneer Substitutes 06- Types of Beans, Peas, and Lentils __To Cook Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas __South Indian Sambar __Eggs __Scrambled Eggs __Fish and Shellfish __Meat __Chicken __Buying Leg of Lamb __Crepes and Pancakes __Teas __Yogurt Drinks __Halva __Milk-Based Puddings __Prasaad Offerings __About Rabdi and Khoa __Custards and Mouses __Indian Ice Cream __Indian Ice Cream Desserts __Milk Fudge __Storing and Freezing Indian Breads __Working with Whole Wheat Dough __Stuffings for Parantha Breads 09- About the Author __Roti __Baati Rolls __Spice Blends __Special Grain and Lentil Dishes __Flavored Deep-Fried Puffed Breads __Layered Rice Dishes __Puffed Deep-Fried Breads __Griddle-Fried Breads __Basic Parantha Breads __To Make a Layered Triangle Paranthas __To Make a Layered Square Paranthas __To Make a Layered Circle |
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