World Pulses Day 2024: 6 Essential Dal Types You Should Know 

By Deepali Verma

February 8, 2024

Image Credit: Unsplash

World Pulses Day celebrates the nutritional powerhouse of pulses, highlighting their importance in global cuisine and sustainable agriculture. Get to know these six essential pulse types to enrich your diet and promote food security worldwide. 

Chickpeas 

Versatile and protein-rich, chickpeas are a staple in Indian cuisine, used in curries, salads, and snacks like falafel.  

Lentils 

With varieties like red, green, and black lentils, dals are a mainstay in Indian cooking, offering protein and fiber in dishes like dal tadka and sambar. 

Black-eyed Peas  

These creamy-textured pulses are popular in Indian and Southern American cuisines, featured in dishes like lobia curry paired with cahwal. 

Mung Beans  

Nutrient-dense and quick-cooking, moong beans are used in dal, soups, and sprouted for salads and snacks like moong dal khichdi and sprout salad. 

Kidney Beans  

Rajma is a beloved Indian comfort food, cooked with spices and tomatoes to create a hearty and flavourful dish served with rice.  

Split Chickpeas 

These hulled and split chickpeas are commonly used in Indian cooking, lending a nutty flavour and creamy texture to dishes like chana dal fry and pakoras.