Rajma Aloo Tikki to Gahat Ki Dal Parantha: Try these unique pulses recipes

Indian kitchens can never run out of masoor or tur dal. These two types of lentils are prepared in Indian households almost every single day.

However, there are numerous varieties of pulses in India other than just moong, tur or even masoor dal that we must eat often, but don’t.

Besides their rich and creamy taste, pulses are also a great source of essential nutrients that our body requires to stay healthy. World Pulses Day is observed annually on February 10 to mark the significance and multifarious benefits of pulses to the world.

According to the United Nations, the cultivation of pulses offers not just health but also environmental benefits.

The nitrogen-fixing properties present in pulses improve soil fertility, increasing and extending the productivity of the farmland. Furthermore, pulses can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing dependence on the synthetic fertilisers used to introduce nitrogen artificially into the soil.

Ahead of World Pulses Day 2024, Mid-day Online reached out to nutrition gurus and chefs to serve the readers the dual goodness of health benefits of consuming pulses and recipes of dishes made from occasionally-consumed pulses.

What are pulses

“India’s balanced diet comprises of about 25 per cent of lentils and pulses contributing to energy, protein, fibre, potassium, zinc and selenium requirements in daily diet,” says Dr Sweedal Trinidade, chief dietician, P. D. Hinduja Hospital and Research Centre, Mahim.