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Dry beans, lentils and chickpeas — sometimes called legumes or pulses — are the heart of many global cuisines.

For more than 10,000 years, these edible seeds, which are high in fiber and protein and low in calories and price, have been turned into soups, stews, salads and main dishes, from India and Italy to Mexico and Morocco.

Some meat-loving Americans may have been slower to adopt pulses into their daily meals, but that is changing as people become more interested in plant-based diets.

Interest is expected to accelerate, experts say, especially as the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of the Pulses.

Look at what happened to quinoa a few years ago when the U.N. declared 2013 International Year of Quinoa. The once-obscure superfood catapulted to nobility status.

Now pulses get to be the next culinary heartthrob.

"Beans and lentils are universal," says nutrition expert Allison Boomer. "I don't think there are many cultures that don't have them in their diet."

Boomer, who also oversees marketing and recipe development for Zursan Idaho Heirloom Beans, in Twin Falls, said the popularity of beans and lentils is soaring.

As more people adopt vegetarian and vegan diets, beans and lentils become a critical source of protein, she said. But even for those who still consume meat, there is an interest in eating more pulses to improve health.

Zursan sells nearly three dozen dried beans, as well as several varieties of dried peas, lentils and soup blends, online (www.zursunbeans.com) and at specialty shops around the country, including Caputo's Market and Deli and Liberty Heights Fresh, both in Salt Lake City.

While families are trying to add pulses to meals at home, the federal government is looking to do the same for the National School Lunch program. Language was added to the 2014 Farm Bill to increase pulses in school meals and the American Pulse Association is sponsoring a national recipe competition for students in fourth through 12th grade to create recipes uses pulses. (See box for details.)

The 2014 Farm Bill legislation also created the Pulse Crop Health Initiative, which will study the health and nutrition benefits of pulses and look at ways to increase pulse crops to satisfy growing demand.

Sustainable farming is another reason for the U.N. is trying to elevate the status of pulses. Beans and legumes often require less water and, because they draw their own nitrogen from the air, don't require the heavy fertilization as some crops. Expert farmers have long used beans and legumes in their crop rotation as the plants put nitrogen back into the soil and improve the crops that are planted after them.

There are examples of classic bean and lentil dishes in every country across the globe. Some of the better-known versions include:

• French cassoulet, slow-cooked white beans and sausage.

• Mexican frijoles de olla or pot beans.

• Greek faki, a tomato-based lentil soup.

• Middle Eastern hummus, mashed chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice.

• Italian creamy white bean and tuna salad.

• American baked beans, slow-cooked Navy beans and molasses.

But no culture has embraced pulses like India, where cooked lentils, often called dals, are practically the national dish. "Dal is the quintessential Indian food," said Lavanya Mahate, owner of Saffron Valley East India Café in Salt Lake City.

The first solid food that young Indian children eat is usually a mix of dal, rice and a bit of ghee (clarified butter). "Even as grown-ups we eat it," she said. "It's comfort food."

While dal recipes vary from region to region and home, toor dal is one of the most common, said Mahate. It is made with split pigeon peas that are stewed until soft and served over steamed white rice or alongside roti, naan or other flat bread.

Dal is often seasoned with tadka, a separate mixture of sautéed onions, tomatoes and spices that are stirred into the lentils once they are cooked. (See box for recipe.)

Mahate said dals are named depending on the lentil that is used and there are dozens of possibilities, including urad dal made with black lentils, masor dal from red lentils, and moong dal from mung beans.

In India, lentils also are ground into a paste, often with soaked rice, to make the crêpe-like dosas and savory cakes called idly.

And one can't forget another popular offering: chana masala, a savory Indian dish made with chickpeas, tomatoes, onions and spices. Also served over rice, it is a favorite of vegetarians and carnivores alike.

kathys@sltrib.com

Saffron Valley's dal tadka

Dal:

1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 green serrano pepper, slit lengthwise

1/2 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated, optional

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

A pinch of asafoetida (also called hing), optional*

1 or 2 tablespoons cream, optional

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Seasoning/tadka:

2 tablespoons oil, ghee or butter

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 red chile, optional

A pinch of asafoetida/hing

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed, optional*

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Roti, naan or rice, as an accompaniment

Rinse dal. Place in a sauce pan and cover with water. Soak for one hour, then drain. Return dal to the pot and add 4 cups fresh water, chopped onions, tomatoes, serrano pepper, ginger, turmeric and asafoetida. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 to 60 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mashable with the back of a spoon. Keep stirring in five-minute intervals, adding more water if needed. The texture should be stew like. Once the lentils reach the desired consistency, add cream (if using), garam masala powder, chopped cilantro leaves and salt. Stir until all the ingredients are combined uniformly. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

For the tadka seasoning, heat oil, ghee or butter in a small pan. Add cumin seeds, toasting until they crackle, less than a minute. Add the red chile (if using), asafoetida and chopped garlic. Cook until the garlic browns and the red chile changes color. Add kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), stir for a few seconds and remove from heat. Pour seasoning mixture and any oil/ghee into the cooked dal. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with roti, naan or rice.

*Available at Indian markets or in the ethnic food aisle of some grocery stores.

Servings • 2

Source: Saffron Valley East India Cafe

Pigeon pea tacos al pastor with coconut lime slaw

This hearty, meat-free twist on classic tacos al pastor features a protein-packed filling of spiced pigeon peas, tomatoes and pineapple paired with a cooling coconut-lime cabbage slaw.

Coconut lime slaw:

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup flaked coconut

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Tacos al pastor:

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cup pineapple, finely chopped

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) brown pigeon peas, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

12 taco shells, warmed

For the slaw, mix lime juice, olive oil and honey in medium bowl until well blended. Add cabbage, coconut and cilantro; toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the tacos, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add tomatoes and pineapple; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add pigeon peas and seasonings; cook and stir until heated through. Serve pigeon pea mixture in warm taco shells topped with coconut lime slaw.

• To substitute dried pigeon peas for the canned peas, rinse, soak and cook a heaping 1/2 cup of dried pigeon peas according to package directions until tender. Drain peas. Prepare recipe as directed using the pre-cooked pigeon peas.

• Pigeon peas are considered a pulse, in the legume family, that range from green to brownish in color. However, when skinned and split, they are yellow in color and known as Toor dal or Toovar dal. Pigeon peas have a pleasant, slightly sweet, nutty taste. They are commonly found dried or canned in most groceries, Latin and Indian markets or online specialty stores.

Servings • 6

Source: mccormick.com

Chili pot beans with fire-roasted tomatoes

Any kidney-shaped heirloom bean will work in this recipe, such as cranberry, pinto, Anasazi or trout. In this recipe the legumes simmer with fire-roasted tomatoes creating a thick, smoky, broth.

1 cup dried beans

½ quart water

½ cup yellow onion, chopped

1-2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1-2 teaspoons salt

Sort beans and soak overnight in bowl using 3 times as much water as beans. The next morning drain beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. In a large pot, combine drained beans, 1/2 quart fresh water, onions, chili powder and garlic. Bring to simmer, then partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes and salt and continue cooking until beans are very tender and broth is thick.

Servings • 4

Source: Zursun Idaho Heirloom Beans

Powered by Pulses contest

I Teams of Utah students are encouraged to enter recipes containing beans, dry peas, lentils and chickpeas — sometimes called pulses – in the Great School Lunch Contest, sponsored by the American Pulse Association and the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council. Recipes will be accepted in two age categories: fourth-eighth grade and ninth-12th grade. Each team of students, with the help of an adviser, must submit recipes for an entrée and a vegetable side dish. Both recipes must use one or more pulse crops. The top three teams in each category will receive cash awards and the finalist in the ninth-12th group will travel to San Antonio, Texas, in July to compete in a final cooking competition. For more contest rules, visit greatschoollunchcontest.com. Deadline to enter is March 7. —

Saffron Valley's dal tadka

Dal

1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 green serrano pepper, slit lengthwise

½ inch fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated, optional

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

A pinch of asafoetida (also called hing), optional*

1 or 2 tablespoons cream, optional

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Seasoning/tadka

2 tablespoons oil, ghee or butter

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 red chile, optional

A pinch of asafoetida/hing

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed, optional*

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Roti, naan or rice, as an accompaniment

Rinse dal. Place in a sauce pan and cover with water. Soak for one hour, then drain. Return dal to the pot and add 4 cups fresh water, chopped onions, tomatoes, serrano pepper, ginger, turmeric and asafoetida. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 to 60 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mashable with the back of a spoon. Keep stirring in five-minute intervals, adding more water if needed. The texture should be stewlike. Once the lentils reach the desired consistency, add cream (if using), garam masala powder, chopped cilantro leaves and salt. Stir until all the ingredients are combined uniformly. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

For the tadka seasoning, heat oil, ghee or butter in a small pan. Add cumin seeds, toasting until they crackle, less than a minute. Add the red chile (if using), asafoetida and chopped garlic. Cook until the garlic browns and the red chile changes color. Add kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), stir for a few seconds and remove from heat. Pour seasoning mixture and any oil/ghee into the cooked dal. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with roti, naan or rice.

*Available at Indian markets or in the ethnic food aisle of some grocery stores.

Servings • 2

Source: Saffron Valley East India Cafe —

Chili pot beans with fire-roasted tomatoes

Any kidney-shaped heirloom bean will work in this recipe, such as cranberry, pinto, Anasazi or trout. In this recipe the legumes simmer with fire-roasted tomatoes creating a thick, smoky broth.

1 cup dried beans

½ quart water

½ cup yellow onion, chopped

1-2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes

1-2 teaspoons salt

Sort beans and soak overnight in bowl using 3 times as much water as beans. The next morning drain beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. In a large pot, combine drained beans, ½ quart fresh water, onions, chili powder and garlic. Bring to simmer, then partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes and salt and continue cooking until beans are very tender and broth is thick.

Servings • 4

Source: Zursun Idaho Heirloom Beans —

Pigeon pea tacos al pastor with coconut lime slaw

This hearty, meat-free twist on classic tacos al pastor features a protein-packed filling of spiced pigeon peas, tomatoes and pineapple paired with a cooling coconut-lime cabbage slaw.

Coconut lime slaw

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups cabbage, shredded

¼ cup flaked coconut

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Tacos al pastor

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cup pineapple, finely chopped

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) brown pigeon peas, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

12 taco shells, warmed

For the slaw, mix lime juice, olive oil and honey in medium bowl until well blended. Add cabbage, coconut and cilantro; toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the tacos, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add tomatoes and pineapple; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add pigeon peas and seasonings; cook and stir until heated through. Serve pigeon pea mixture in warm taco shells topped with coconut lime slaw.

• To substitute dried pigeon peas for the canned peas, rinse, soak and cook a heaping ½ cup of dried pigeon peas according to package directions until tender. Drain peas. Prepare recipe as directed using the precooked pigeon peas.

• Pigeon peas are considered a pulse, in the legume family, that range from green to brownish in color. However, when skinned and split, they are yellow in color and known as Toor dal or Toovar dal. Pigeon peas have a pleasant, slightly sweet, nutty taste. They are commonly found dried or canned in most groceries, Latin and Indian markets or online specialty stores.

Servings • 6

Source: mccormick.com