Calories in Kulthi Dal

Kulthi, or horse gram, is the small, flat, reddish-brown pulse cooked in Uttarakhand, Himachal and across the south, where it is known as kollu, hurali or ulavalu. The recipe behind this figure makes 4 portions from 175 g of raw horse gram, 180 g of tomato, 100 g of onion and 1 tablespoon of oil. The source does not fix the bowl, so the serving is one of those 4 portions: 44 g of raw kulthi, 45 g of tomato, 25 g of onion and less than a teaspoon of oil. That is more pulse than a small side katori usually holds.

Carbohydrate supplies 60% of the energy, protein 21% and fat only 19%. Many home dals get a large part of their energy from the tadka; here the oil is sparing, so nearly all of the 201 kcal is the pulse itself. That is how a portion with 44 g of raw kulthi stays close to dals built on less pulse and more oil, and ranks 12 out of 20 in this comparison. The protein, 10.5 g, is high for the calories. Horse gram is also known as a pulse rich in calcium and iron.

One portion of kulthi dal is about 10% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 12% of a woman's. Two portions give 402 kcal and 21 g of protein with only 8.2 g of fat, which is unusually lean for that much protein from a dal. Eaten with rice, roti or mandua roti, the grain and the pulse make the protein of the meal more complete. The portion has 5.5 g of fibre. A green vegetable and a little curd complete the plate.

Kulthi has a long folk reputation as a remedy for kidney stones. The calorie and nutrient data here say nothing about that, and no dal should replace treatment: anyone with stones or kidney disease should be guided by their doctor or dietitian, including on how much pulse and fluid to take. Horse gram is a tough pulse, so soak and cook it thoroughly to avoid an uncomfortable stomach.