Why you should get dal in your diet, now more than ever

As I dug into a bowl of dal chawal, my go-to dish whenever time is tight (to cook anything else) or my mood needs a bit of uplifting, I realised just how ubiquitous dal is, and yet how often it is underplayed completely.

These quiet achievers never get their due. But fortunately, the 68th UN General Assembly has begun the process by declaring 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.

So what's the big deal about these tiny lentils/pulses? Well, the three solid pillars of good health are: enough nutrients, good quality protein, and fibre for gut health - and pulses deliver all three in abundance. 

Plus they are a very cost effective source of good quality protein - a boon for vegetarians, especially who often don't score enough.

Their substantial fibre fills you up with less, keeps your gut happy and also helps improve heart health by lowering cholesterol levels.

Plus most pulses are high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium, and they also deliver iron, zinc, folate, selenium and magnesium, all of which help further.

In fact, a Canada-based study found that eating a serve of legumes every day for eight weeks led to an improvement of the function of blood vessels, making them smoother and less rigid, which is super good news both for our brain as well as the heart.

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Then they are a low-glycemic index food (glycemic index ranks food on how it affects your blood sugar) as their balance of complex carbohydrates and protein provides a slow, steady source of glucose so cause only a small rise in blood sugar besides helping prevent fatigue.

They contain a wide range of cancer-fighting plant chemicals, specifically, isoflavones and phytosterols which are associated with reduced cancer risk.

And as they are rich in B vitamin folate, they also help the body repair damaged cells and thus prevent ageing.

Another good thing about it is that they can help counter both malnutrition as well as overweight problems. Lysine, an amino acid promotes growth and calcium absorption and also helps lower cholesterol in the body.

Plus a pulse-based diet delivers more arginine, an amino acid that's been shown to increase both carbohydrate and fat burning, besides improving immunity and controlling blood pressure.

Pulses also deliver phenylalanine which boosts memory and improves compliance to exercise.

Get inventive

I don't blame you if you are bored to bits with dal roti. But you need to move beyond just sambar, dal fry, kaali dal, khichdi… and try out some interesting ways to eat the lentils.

Cook them differently: maybe make the Rajasthani panchmel dal (which is paired with bati churma), or the khatti Hyderabad dal. Dahi bada and kanji pakora are already household dishes, but you could try your hand at the famous Rajasthani stuffed dal ki puri and dal stuffed kachori, or try the Maharashtrian dal stuffed dal sweet puranpoli and pithla made with dal paste (instead of the regular besan cheela).

Look up the kumro pakodi made with dal, or dalma from Bengal, and for snacking look beyond dhokla and have handwa or amiri khaman.

Create your own fun recipes too. I tried a dal pattie (soak chana dal, grind it, add fine chopped onion, spices, a binder like boiled potato or steamed cauliflower, shape like a pattie and airfare) placed in between burger buns a friend taught me and loved it.

Try it! Also I remember the recipe of lentil hummus that a home chef shared with me a while back… just mix up boiled dal (any), tahini paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and some olive oil). Perfect on a toast!

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In fact an inventive dessert that chef Nishant Choubey, executive chef, Dusit Devarana, Delhi fed me eons ago: warm lentil cake with rum sauce, is still a favourite.

Here's the recipe with his permission: take 100gm lentil flour (any), add a pinch of salt, 1tsp baking powder, 1/2tsp baking soda and strain it. Add three eggs and 10tsp sugar.

Pour it into a lined cake tin. Bake it at 180 degree centigrade for 35 minutes. Meanwhile reduce 30ml dark rum on slow flame and add 3tsp sugar. Add a cinnamon stick and enjoy the warm cake with rum sauce.

Move over dal halwa!