Dal

In India, dal refers to any legume whether split or whole. Additionally, dal also refers to a finished soup or any dish made with legumes. A “dry dal,†is a thicker paste often served as a side dish. Dal is very high in fiber and protein. Little or no presoaking is an advantage.

The types of dal – and their names – depend on whether they are:
• split or whole
• skinned or unskinned

Popular varieties include:

Massoor dal (split red lentils)
Best used in soups or as a puree to spread on bread. This is the split version of the Massor green lentil (whole). When cooked, the dal turns yellow. Recommended cooking time is no more than 20 minutes. Spelling may vary: masoor, masar, mussoor.

Moong dal (mung beans)
Excellent for dry dal; cooking time is extended to about an hour. They are called green gram beans when whole and with a skin.

Yellow moong dal
Different from moong dal and also known as split mung beans. Best for soups or purees with a lighter texture than the above.

Channa or Chana dal (split baby chickpeas/split yellow peas)
These are meaty and probably used most often in India. Perfect for dry dal. A smallish cousin to what is also known as garbanzo beans or chickpeas. Ground channa is sold as besan flour (gram flour/chickpea flour). Besan uses include deep-frying pakoras (vegetable fritters) and as a binding agent in sweet foods.

Tuvar Dal (split yellow peas)
Another Indian favorite and a major ingredient in sambhar. Also called toor, toovar, and kandhi pappu.

Sabat urad/urad dal (Black gram beans)
Sabat urad is the unskinned version and urad dal is either split with skin or without. Superb for dips and soups, and often roasted and ground for use as a spice. These are also the frequent base for making pappadoms. When possible, select those with skins for stronger flavor.