Toor Dal / Pigeon Peas

Name: Toor dal, also called tur dal, arhar dal or split pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) — skinned, split, golden-yellow pulses with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. It is one of the most widely eaten dals in India, and the dal used in sambar.

Description

Pigeon peas are native to India, where they have been cultivated for at least 3,500 years, and spread to Africa and the Caribbean. India produces and eats most of the world's crop. Toor dal is the main dal of western and southern India, and the base for dishes such as sambar, gujarati dal and puran poli.

Toor dal is firmer and takes longer to cook than red lentils or moong dal, and is often sold “oily” (coated with oil to protect it in storage), which should be washed off. It breaks down into a thick, creamy dal with a rich flavour.

Main nutrition value

Toor dal is an excellent source of plant protein and fibre, and provides folate, iron, potassium, magnesium and manganese, with little fat.

How best to be consumed

Toor dal is soaked briefly, then cooked until soft.

1. Wash well to remove any oil coating, and soak for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Pressure-cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or simmer for 40 to 60 minutes, with turmeric until very soft.
3. Make into sambar, dal tadka, or pappu with vegetables and spices.
4. Finish with a tempering of ghee or oil, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves and chilli.
5. Mash lightly for a creamy dal.

Overconsumption could cause…

Toor dal is healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) in pulses, particularly if you are not used to eating them, so build up gradually and drink water.
2. Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes, and cross-reaction between chickpeas, lentils and peanuts in some.
3. Reduced absorption of iron, zinc and calcium from the phytates in dried pulses, which soaking and thorough cooking reduce.
4. Digestive upset from undercooked pulses, which contain natural lectins that thorough cooking destroys.
5. A lot of ghee, oil and salt in rich tadkas.

GroupsLentilsLegume familyHigh fibreHigh proteinLow fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in ironRich in magnesiumRich in potassiumIndian

Related foodsMoong DalMasoor DalChana Dal / Split ChickpeasUrad Dal / Black GramBrown LentilsFrench Green Lentils

Wikipedia — Pigeon pea, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_pea