Split Bengal gram

Additional Details

Bengal gram, closely linked to the family of chickpeas, is a yellow lens, rounded on one side and flat on the other. Bengal gram is one of the first cultivated legumes. In Indian cuisine, it is popularly known as Chana Dal. Bengal gram seeds are small and dark and rough coated. It is majorly grown in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Mexico. In the vegetarian Indian food scenario, Bengal gram is a major ingredient. It is mainly used in making curries. In southern India, green grams are picked and eaten as a snack and leaves are added in the manufacture of salads.

A split and shelled on chickpeas, Bengal gram is the most popular legume in India. Chana dal is delicious, nutritious and easy to digest, but apart from its use in both the dal dishes and savory, legumes are also roasted and powdered in the chickpea flour (besan), another ingredient widely used in almost all the regional specialties. Chana dal is baby chickpeas that have been separated and polite. They look and taste like little grains of sweet corn and work well in soups, salads and rice dishes.

Although this dal has a very simple and basic recipe, flavor and taste are exceptional. For those who are new to this dal be confused between Toor dal and Chana dal. They both look very similar, but a closer look will show the difference. Toor dal is smaller and a little flatter. I used to cook the casserole dal as that's how I usually cook my dal as it's just so much faster. But you can still do this without a pressure cooker dal too.

Nutritional Value:

Since Bengal gram is a supplement rich in protein, it is considered as a popular alternative to animal protein or meat.

Regular consumption of Bengal gram helps reduce protein malnutrition.

It also contributes to lowering the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Chana deal is good for diabetics because it has a low glycemic index.

Health Benefits:

Chana Dal is rich in fiber and helps lower cholesterol.

Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc, folate, calcium and protein

Besides having a good taste, it also has a very low glycemic index, which is important for diabetics. Chana dal can be a good food for people with diabetes because it has a low glycemic index.

Chickpeas are low in fat and most are polyunsaturated.