Pulses & Dal

What is pahadi dal?

Pahadi dal is the everyday lentil and bean harvest of Uttarakhand’s hill villages: small-holder crops such as bhatt (Himalayan soybean), urad, toor, rayansh and naurangi, grown on rain-fed terraces and usually sold unpolished. Fyonli’s Pulses & Dal range brings nine of them together, from single pulses to the mixed dals Garhwali kitchens cook every week.

Which pahadi dal should you start with?

• Garhwal Traditional Dal Mix — rajma, toor, urad and rayansh from Devprayag, cooked together as one pot of dal.
• Himalayan Black Soybean (Bhatt) — the black bhatt behind bhatt ki churdkani, from Devprayag in Tehri Garhwal.
• Naurangi Dal — a multi-coloured blend of indigenous Himalayan pulses.
• Nainital Heirloom Urad Dal — whole urad from terraced farms above 1,200 m.
• Himalayan Protein Dal Mix — six pulses including kulthi (horse gram), white rajma and masoor.

How do you cook pahadi dal?

Whole pahadi pulses such as bhatt, urad and the rajma-based mixes are best soaked overnight, then pressure-cooked in fresh water until soft. Split dals such as toor cook without soaking. Our guides on bhatt and pahadi toor dal cover traditional recipes.

Is pahadi dal polished?

No. These pulses are cleaned and sorted by hand but not machine-polished, so they keep their natural seed coat and colour.

Where is gahat (horse gram)?

Gahat is included in the Himalayan Protein Dal Mix as kulthi. Read the gahat dal guide to learn more about it.