Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas – (Daal Haru)

Lists of most common Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas used in Nepal (Daal Haru)

Daal (dried beans, lentils, and peas) needs little introduction in Nepali cuisine and no Nepali meal would be complete without it. Daal includes all dried legumes, lentils, beans, and peas. There are many forms of daal available, such as whole, split with skin, split without skin, or ground into flour. Each daal variety is cooked in its own way. For example, daal that is split without skins cooks much faster than whole daal.

Daal is either cooked by itself or combined and cooked with vegetables, rice, and other ingredients. When cooked daal is paired with rice, the meal is called daal-bhaat and this combination is eaten throughout Nepal. Daal is also used in many other ways – it is soaked and pureed to make into delicious fried snacks or bread. It can be sprouted, mixed with vegetables to make into dried nuggets, and used in sweet dish. Daal is prized for its high protein content. It is perhaps one of the primary sources of protein especially in a vegetarian diet. Nepalese generally prefer thinner daal and typically cooked to the consistency of soup (thin gravy) rather than a thick form, making it suitable as a sauce over boiled rice.

The following is the list of most common dried beans, lentils and Peas used in Nepal. The brief description and pictures will be listed in my upcoming blog posting.

(Nepali-English)

Maas - Urad Beans, Black Gram - (used in three forms)

• Singo Maas ko Daal - Whole Urad Beans (with skins)
• Maas ko Chhata Daal - Split White Urad Beans (without skins)
• Kaalo Maas ko Daal – Split Black Urad Beans (with skins)

Mugi, Mung – Moong Beans, Green Gram - (used in three forms)

• Singo Mung ko Daal – Whole Moong Beans (with skins)
• Pahelo Mung ko Daal – Split Yellow Moong Beans (without skins)
• Khoste Mung ko Daal – Split Green Moong Beans (with skins)

Musuro - Lentils, Masoor Lentil (used in two forms)

• Singo Musuro ko Daal - Whole Lentils (with skins)
• Musuro ko Daal – Split red or pink lentils (without skins)

Rahar – Pigeon Peas, Indian Toor or Toovar Daal, Yellow Lentils

• Rahar ko Daal – Split Yellow Pigeon Peas (without skins)

Chana – Bengal Gram, Chickpeas, Garbanzo Beans

• Chana ko Daal made from Kaalo Chana – Split Bengal Gram- (without skins)
• Sukeko Thulo Chana – Dried Whole Garbanzo Beans, White Chickpeas, Kabuli Channa or Chole
• Kaalo Chana – Dried Whole Bengal Gram with dark reddish-brown skins
• Hariyo Chana – Shelled Fresh Green Chickpeas

Sukeko Sano, Thulo Kerau – Dried Peas

• Sukeko Hariyo Thulo Kerau – Dried Peas, Green (Whole)
• Sukeko Pahelo Thulo Kerau – Dried Yellow Peas (Whole)
• Kerau ko Daal (pahelo or hariyo) – Yellow or Green Split Peas (skinless)
• Sukeko Hariyo Saano Kerau – Small Variety of Field Peas

Bodi – Black-Eyed Peas, Cow Peas or Lobia

Rato Bodi – Dried Kidney Beans, Rajma

Simi – Common Field Beans

Gahat – Horse Gram

Masyang or Mussyang – Rice Bean, Red Bean

Sukeko Bhatmaas (kaalo, seto) – Soybeans (black or pale yellow)

Sukeko Bakulla Simi – Broad bean, Dried Fava Beans

Quanti – Mixture of Freshly Sprouted Beans, Lentils & PeasMaseura – Urad Bean Nuggets

Moong ko Titaura – Mung Beans Nuggets

Finally, with a helping hand.....

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