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India is a country that has immense love for pulses, which is fair because we, especially vegetarians, enjoy our share of dals on a daily basis.  Our country is also the largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses which is no surprise because our love affair with them is a little too much. Curries, snacks, sweets, pulaos or be it anything else, pulses make their way into anything and everything when it comes to our cuisine. Well, not just India, pulses are an important food ingredient all across the world – from popular English baked beans to Mediterranean falafels, everything is made with the protein-packed pulses. And, every year on 10th February, we appreciate the wonderfulness of this versatile ingredient and celebrate World Pulses Day. 

You must already know that pulses are extremely beneficial for us. But, do you know how and where can you find the best and 100% organic ones? Tata Sampann guarantees the best quality dals which are unpolished and do not undergo any artificial polishing with water, oil or leather which helps in retaining their goodness and protein content. You can know more about them here: http://www.tatasampann.com/dal/products 

Let’s discover the 5 most popular desi dals and how they’ve made our lives better in all ways!

1.    Split Pigeon Pea: Toor Dal / Arhar Dal

Toor, tuvar or arhar dal is an excellent source of energy for the body in the form of complex carbohydrates. High in dietary fibre, with negligible cholesterol and good quantities of folate and iron, this dal is a healthy meal option for everybody, especially for pregnant women. Tata Sampann’s Toor Dal is one of the best quality dals which comes from Latur. While this dal can be used to prepare many awesome recipes, my go-to recipe with it is a simple Maharashtrian style Varan which tastes best with steamed rice.
https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Varan-Bhaat-KhaanaKhazana.html 

2.    Split Green Gram: Moong / Mung Dal
When the green skin is removed from moong beans, you get tiny yellow moong dal grains and this dal does wonders for your skin and hair. A paste of moong dal and milk applied on the skin for a couple of minutes can effectively heal dry skin, prevent acne and get rid of tans. It is low in calories, high in proteins and is perfect for health-conscious people. If someone asks me, what’s my favourite recipe with moong dal, it’s always going to be a decadent Moong Dal Halwa. This recipe is quick, easy and great for an after-meal dessert. 
https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Quick-Moong-Dal-Halwa.html 

3.    Split Bengal Gram: Chana Dal
It is one of the richest sources of proteins for vegetarians and vegans. Its high folate content helps keep diabetes at bay and promotes effective digestion too. These are nothing but young chickpeas that have been split and polished, chana dal is also ground to make besan or gram flour which is another very important ingredient in our Indian kitchens. Tata Sampann’s Chana Dal has a rich flavour and fragrance, it also provides essential amino acids for complete proteins. When I am craving for something fried, I always go for these crispy Chana Dal Tikkis with a hot cup of masala chai. This is my personal favourite,  you should give it a try. 
https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Chana-Dal-Tikki-Cook-Smart-Sanjeev-Kapoor-Kitchen-FoodFood.html 

4.    Split Black Gram: Urad Dal
With and without the skin, split and whole, there are more than a couple of ways you can eat this lentil. With a slightly sticky texture once cooked, urad dal causes the production of highly valuable short-chained fatty acids in the digestive tract which helps in the breakdown of food in our body. This is also the dal that goes into making scrumptious South Indian delights like idlis and dosas. But apart from these, a very yummy Punjabi accompaniment is prepared with urad dal too. Yes, I am talking about Dahi Bhalle! Here’s the recipe for you to try.  
https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Dahi-Bhalle--SK-Khazana.html 

5.    Red Lentils: Masoor Dal
This one’s probably the most underrated dal and it has the skill of being a part of an inexpensive protein-rich diet. Masoor dal or red lentils not just add plenty of gorgeous colours to your plate, but loads of nutrition too. High fibre content prevents the rise in blood sugar levels and antioxidants in it help build up immunity and prevent certain types of cancer. Apart from being used for soups, khichdis, pakodas and more, I personally like the flavour of this dal in the Masoor Pulao. You can pair it with a simple raita and enjoy a hearty meal. 
https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/MASOOR-PULAO--SK-Khazana-KhaanaKhazana.html 

Apart from these 5 classic dals, we have a lot of other pulses too – kidney beans (rajma), chickpeas (kabuli chana), brown chickpeas (kala chana), black-eyed peas (lobia), dried white peas (safed vatana),  whole moong beans (sabut moong) and Turkish / dew gram beans or moth beans (matki). We will soon be back with more information on all these. 

Till then, you can enjoy more recipes on  www.sanjeevkapoor.com