Cowpea/Black Eyed Beans

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Lobia

• The Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), also known as 'black eyed bean', is one of several species of the widely cultivated genus Vigna.
• This is one of the most important food legume crops in the semi-arid tropics covering Asia, Africa, southern Europe and Central and South America.
• The value of cowpea lies in its high protein content, and ability to tolerate drought.
• As a legume, cowpea also fixes atmospheric nitrogen, allowing it to grow on, and improve poor soils.
• All the parts of cowpea that are used for food are nutritious, providing protein, vitamins, and minerals.
• The protein in cowpea seed is rich in the amino acids, lysine and tryptophan, compared to cereal grains; however, it is deficient in methionine and cystine when compared to animal proteins. Therefore, cowpea seed is valued as a nutritional supplement to cereals and an extender of animal proteins.

Green Gram / Moong

Green Gram / Sabut Moong

• The seed of Green Gram (Vigna radiate) is native to Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
• The beans are small, ovoid in shape, and green in color.
• They contain between 19-25% protein, 60%carbs and 4% fiber.
• They are also containing lysine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and traces of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.
• Sprouting enhances the digestibility of dried Green Gram via the reduction of indigestible sugars that would otherwise remain in the cooked dried Lentil.

Split Green Gram / Chhilke Wali Moong Dal

• Whole Green Gram is split but skin is not removed so it is rich in fibre.
• These are easy to digest then the whole Green Gram and take on seasonings and spices very well.

Split Skinned Green Gram / Dhuli Moong Dal

• Split moong dal is a skinned and halved version of the whole moong bean. They are yellow/ golden in color.
• They have a mild taste and are easy to cook. It takes on seasonings and spices very well.
• In Ayurveda, split moong dal is recommended for children, elderly people and convalescents as it is easily digested. It contains few oligosaccharides which cause flatulence.

Black Gram /Urad Bean

Black Gram/Black Lentil /Sabut Urad

English Name: Black Gram/Black Lentil

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Sabut Urad

• These lentil-like Urad beans have black skins covering creamy white interiors. Black skin provides them rich earthy flavor. They have an uncanny ability to absorb flavors.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers discovered that the pigment in Black Lentils acts like an antioxidant and helps protect against heart disease, cancer, and the aging process in general.
• Black Lentil provides protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, as well as about twice as much iron as other legumes. It is recommended for diabetics, as are other pulses.
• Lentils are higher in most B vitamins and folate, which is especially important for women of childbearing age because folate reduces the risk of birth defects.
• Urad is very popular in Punjab cuisine of India and Pakistan where it is known as ‘sabit maash’.
• In Telugu it is called as ‘Minumulu’ and in Kannada ‘Uddina Bele’.

Split Black Lentil/ Split Urad Dal

English Name: Split Black Lentil

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Chhilke Wali Urad Dal

• Whole Black Lentil is split without removing the coat.
• These can be used in vegetarian cooking as a meat substitute.
• These tiny lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.

Ivory White Lentil / Dhuli Urad Dal

English Name: Ivory White Lentil

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Dhuli Urad Dal

• Ivory White Lentils are split and skinned Black Lentils.
• These are creamy white tiny, lens shaped seeds of a small shrub with mild, earthy flavor than unskinned lentils.
• These lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.
• There is no need to soak lentils. They are quick in cooking and versatile. They are used in soups, stews, baked beans, stir-fry, spreads and dips.
• Traditionally these are used in South Indian cooking. They are ground with rice to make light and spongy steamed dumplings or cakes called Idli and pancake like Dosa.

Sabit Masoor (Lentils)

English Name: Lentils

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Sabit Masoor

• The unhulled (skins on) red lentil is known as the Brown Masoor.
• They have a mild, earthy flavor and soft texture.
• They are most commonly used in Middle Eastern or Indian food dishes.
• They hold their shape fairly well if not overcooked and can be added to salads and other dishes. The varieties that are soft after cooking are used mainly to thicken stews and soups or are made into purees.

Orange/Red Lentil (Skinned Split Lentils)

English Name: Orange/Red Lentil (Skinned and Split)

Common Indian Name (Hindi): Dhuli Masoor ki Dal

• Orange Lentil (Skinned and Split) is called as Masoor dal is India.
• It is mild in flavor, versatile and quick in cooking.
• It is easy to digest and cooked without soaking.
• Lentil is an excellent supplement to cereal grain diets because of its good protein/carbohydrate content. Protein content ranges from 22 to 35%, but the nutritional value is low because lentil is deficient in the amino acids methionine and cystine.
• Lentil pairs well with tomatoes and kheema/ground red meats, sausages, and may be served on their own as a side dish, or incorporated into soups, stews and salads.

Arhar Dal - Pigeon Pea

English Name: Pigeon Pea

Common India Name (Hindi): Arhar dal

• In India, split pigeon peas (toor dal) are one of the most popular pulses. It is also called 'tuvara parippu' in Kerala, ‘Kanddi pappu’ in Telugu, ‘arhar’ in Hindi and Bangla, ‘red gram’/ ‘toovar’/ ‘toor’ in Gujrati/Marathi/Punjabi, and ‘tuvaram paruppu’ in Tamil.
• Pigeon pea is an important grain legume crop of rainfed agriculture in the semi-arid tropics. The Indian subcontinent, Eastern Africa and Central America, in that order, are the world's three main pigeon pea producing regions.
• Pigeon peas are nutritionally important, as they contain high levels of proteins and the important amino acid methionine, lysine and tryptophan. In combination with cereals, pigeon peas make a well-balanced human food.
• In south India a popular dish sambar is made with this. Plain Dal is also made with pigeon peas. In Ethiopia, not only the pods but the young shoots and leaves are cooked and eaten.
• The woody stems of pigeon peas are used as firewood, fencing and thatch. In Thailand, pigeon peas are grown as a host for scale insects which produce lac.
• Pigeon peas are in some areas an important crop for green manure. They can after incorporation provide up to 40 kg nitrogen per hectare.
• This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Folate and Manganese.

Chickpea

• The chickpea (Cicer arietinum), also known as Garbanzo Bean, Bengal Gram, Kabuli Chana, is an edible legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Chickpea is a highly nutritious pulse and places third in the importance list of the food legumes that are cultivated throughout the world.
• It contains 25% proteins, which is the maximum provided by any pulse and 60% carbohydrates.
• There are two main kinds of chickpea:

(1) Desi (meaning local in Hindi)is also known as Bengal Gram or Kala Chana. It has small, darker seeds and a rough coat, cultivated mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran. It is believed to have originated in Turkey.

(2) Kabuli (meaning from Kabul in Hindi) since they are thought to have come from Afghanistan when first seen in India, also known as Garbanzo Bean. It has lighter colored, larger seeds and a smoother coat, mainly grown in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan and Chile. It is also introduced during the 18th century to the Indian subcontinent

• Bengal Grams have markedly higher fiber content than Kabulis and hence a very low glycemic index which may make them suitable for people with blood sugar problems. It is used to make Chana Dal, which is a split chickpea with the skin removed.
• Chickpea is a helpful source of zinc, folate, and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and low in fat, most of which is polyunsaturated.
• Gram flour is flour made from ground Chana Dal. It is also known as chana flour (Indian), besan (Hindi), chickpea flour and garbanzo flour (Spanish).