Types of Dal in India, Names, Protein and Uses (2026)

Last updated: 30 September 2026

> Quick Answer: The main types of dal in India come from ten pulses: moong, urad, chana, masoor, toor, matki, kulthi, rajma, lobia and kabuli chana. On India's IFCT 2017 tables, raw protein runs from 24.35 g per 100 g in masoor dal to 18.77 g in whole kala chana.

Most dal lists look longer than they are, because they count one pulse several times over. Moong appears as whole green moong, as yellow moong dal and as chilka; chana as kala chana, chana dal and kabuli. Sort the list by plant and India's everyday dals come down to about ten pulses, each sold in one to three forms.

The form matters more than the name. Removing the husk and splitting the seed raises protein per 100 g slightly and cuts fibre sharply, so moong dal and whole moong are not interchangeable on a nutrition label. Every figure below is raw and dry, from the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition's Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, IFCT for short.

Why does the same pulse appear twice on every dal list?

Because most pulses are sold both whole and split. The whole seed, called sabut, keeps its husk; the dal is the same seed with the husk removed and split into halves. Some pulses add a third form, split with the husk left on, called chilka. Each one cooks, looks and measures differently.

A pulse, in the Codex Alimentarius standard, is the dry seed of a leguminous plant, set apart from oil seeds such as soybean by its low fat content. IFCT lists the forms separately. Whole green gram carries 22.53 g of protein and 17.04 g of fibre per 100 g; the split dal 23.88 g of protein and 9.37 g of fibre. Whole urad is 21.97 g against 23.06 g for urad dal, and whole masoor 22.49 g against 24.35 g for the dal. The pattern holds every time: a little more protein once the husk goes, and much less fibre.

For what happens beyond dehusking, see polished and unpolished dal.

Moong in three forms, what changes between them?

Whole green moong, sabut moong, keeps its green husk and takes longest to cook; split yellow moong dal is dehusked and cooks fastest; chilka is split with the husk still on, in between. Per 100 g raw, IFCT gives whole moong 22.53 g protein and moong dal 23.88 g, with fibre falling from 17.04 g to 9.37 g.

The fuller comparison is on the whole moong versus split moong page. As a worked example, the SatRas dal and chana range sells moong in its whole form: Haryana summer green moong, whole, current-season harvest from partner farms in Haryana, at ₹279 for 900 g, down from ₹300. SatRas publishes no separate nutrition figure for it, so the IFCT whole green gram values are the ones to use.

Whole moong is also the one that sprouts, since the seed is intact. Split dal can't.

Desi kala chana, kabuli and chana dal, how do they differ?

Kala chana is the small, dark desi chickpea sold whole; chana dal is the same desi chickpea dehusked and split; kabuli chana is a different, larger, cream-coloured type. IFCT gives whole kala chana 18.77 g of protein and 25.22 g of fibre per 100 g raw, and chana dal 21.55 g of protein and 15.15 g of fibre.

IFCT does not list kabuli chana separately. USDA FoodData Central's entry for raw chickpeas gives 20.5 g of protein per 100 g, from a different database, so treat that comparison as approximate.

Chana dal isn't split kabuli. It's split desi chana, which is why it tastes nutty, like kala chana. The SatRas range carries the desi form whole: Haryana desi black chana, the small-seeded variety, at ₹219 for 900 g, down from ₹300.

Masoor, urad, toor, matki and kulthi, what are they in English and Hindi?

Masoor is lentil, urad is black gram, toor or arhar is red gram or pigeon pea, matki or moth is moth bean, and kulthi is horse gram. Rajma is kidney bean and lobia is cowpea. Masoor dal is orange, sabut masoor brown; urad dal is white, whole urad black.

• Masoor: lentil, sold split and whole.
• Urad: black gram, split and whole.
• Toor or arhar: red gram, mostly split.
• Kulthi: horse gram, whole.
• Lobia: cowpea, whole.
• Rajma: red kidney bean, whole.
• Matki: moth bean, whole.

Their IFCT 2017 protein figures are in the table below.

How much protein per 100 g does each dal carry?

Between 18.77 g and 24.35 g raw, with split dals at the top and whole seeds lower. Masoor dal, moong dal and urad dal lead IFCT's list; whole kala chana, matki and rajma sit at the bottom. The spread is about 5.6 g per 100 g raw, and it narrows once the dal is cooked and mostly water.

Cooked values and a ranking by serving are on which dal has the most protein.

Which dal suits which everyday dish?

Split dals for quick, smooth dishes; whole pulses for slow-cooked ones. Moong, masoor and toor dal cook soft without soaking and suit everyday dal and khichdi, while chana dal holds its shape. Whole urad, rajma, kabuli and kala chana need soaking and long cooking, and whole moong and matki are the usual sprouting pulses.

What do the composition tables not tell you?

They describe raw, dry pulses as sampled, not what's in your katori. Cooking adds water, so protein per 100 g of cooked dal is far lower than the raw figures, and soaking, sprouting and variety all shift values. IFCT publishes a spread beside each mean for that reason.

Protein grams also say nothing about protein quality on their own. The ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 note that cereals are lower in lysine and pulses lower in methionine and cysteine, and that a cereal to pulse ratio of 3:1 by raw weight meets the essential amino acid requirement. FAO's protein quality report makes the same point about mixed diets: dal with roti or rice does more than either alone. No single dal wins overall. They differ in protein, fibre and cooking time, and eating a variety is the practical answer.

This article is educational and is not medical advice. Anyone managing a medical condition or a prescribed diet should speak to a qualified doctor or registered dietitian.

What should you avoid when buying and cooking dal?

Avoid packs with no harvest or packing date, dal with an unexplained oily sheen, salt or tomato added before the dal softens, and protein comparisons that mix raw and cooked figures. Each is easy to check before cooking.

• Undated stock. Older pulses cook slowly and unevenly.
• An oily sheen. Coating pulses with mineral oil is not permitted under FSSAI rules.
• Raw versus cooked figures. A cooked 100 g carries far less protein than a raw one.

Frequently asked questions

Which dal cooks fastest without soaking?

Split moong dal and masoor dal, usually tender in 15 to 20 minutes in an open pan or a few whistles in a pressure cooker. Toor dal takes a little longer. Whole rajma, kabuli chana and urad need hours of soaking first, or they stay hard in the centre.

Which dals need soaking before cooking?

Whole pulses with a tough seed coat: rajma, kabuli chana, kala chana, whole urad and lobia benefit from 6 to 8 hours of soaking. Whole moong and masoor cook without it, just more slowly. Split dals need only a rinse, though 30 minutes of soaking shortens cooking.

Is rajma a dal?

Not strictly. Dal usually means a split pulse, and rajma is almost always cooked whole. In everyday use, though, Indian kitchens call most cooked pulses dal, and rajma sits on the same shelf and in the same food group. Nutritionally it belongs with the other pulses, at 19.91 g of protein per 100 g raw.

Why is my dal taking so long to cook?

Usually old stock or hard water. Pulses harden as they age in storage, and hard water slows softening. A recent harvest, soaking and softer water all help, and so does holding back salt, tomato or tamarind until the dal is soft.

Can two dals be cooked together in one pot?

Yes, and many regional dishes do exactly that. Pair dals with similar cooking times, or soak the slower one first. Split moong with masoor works well; split masoor with whole urad does not, because the masoor turns to mush long before the urad softens.

What is the difference between dal and pulses?

Pulses are the dry edible seeds of legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas and beans, eaten whole or processed. Dal is the Indian word for the split, dehusked form, and by extension for the cooked dish. So every dal is a pulse, but whole moong or rajma is a pulse that has not been made into dal.