Dal

Dal is a Sanskrit and Hindi term referring to pulses which have been stripped of their outer skins and split, as well as to the thick, spicy stew prepared therefrom.

Split green peas are known all over the world, but rarely consumed in India, where over 50 different varieties of pulses are known. The most popular dals include:

• Toor dal - made from pigeon peas
• Chana dal - made from Bengali chickpeas
• Mung dal - made from mung beans
• Urad dal - made from urad, sometimes referred to in English as black gram
• Masoor dal - made from lentils