Starting with this post on each Wednesday, a different country will be selected to look at how pulses shape the country. In some countries, pulses are a huge source of protein and in some, it is more of an underground delicacy. Some countries are major producers and thus exporters and some countries are huge importers. While they may not be nearly as prevalent in America, pulses have huge effects on markets all over the world and help feed millions of people a day. Enjoy each Wednesday as you learn more about how pulses effect other countries!
According to the NIH, India is both the largest producer and the largest consumer of pulse crops! They consume so many pulses that they have to supplement their supply with imports. They are also the country with one of the highest pulse diversities. Many different regions grow various types of chickpeas, lentils, and other pulses, depending on the growing conditions specific to each region. India loves pulses so much the government offers incentives for farmers to enhance pulse production, improve crop yield, and reduce dependency on imports. These initiatives aim to achieve self-sufficiency in pulse production.
That all being said, there are a plethora of dishes that contain pulses and the two chosen for you today are a spicy daineiiong curry and a sweet Bengal gram curry! Different regions of India have their own unique spice blends on top of their unique pulses that make no two dishes taste alike. The spicy daineiiong, hailing from Meghalaya in the northern region of India, contains the red lentil as its base and is flavored with black sesame seeds, ginger and garlic, as well as spicy green chilies to give it that kick. On the other hand, the Bengal gram curry, hailing from the Bengal region in East India, is much more complex containing a lot of different spices found all over the regions; some including turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, coconut, and much more! Check these recipes out as well as many more of India’s dishes that involve pulses with the link below! https://pulses.org/recipes/best-of-india
