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Urd Dal (Black Gram) has the highest protein at 26.1g per 100g (dry weight) — the most of any commonly consumed dal in India. Moong Dal (Green Gram) comes second at 24.5g, followed by Fried Gram at 22.5g, Toor Dal at 22.3g and Chana Dal at 20.4g. All values are per 100g dry weight, per ICMR data.

Chana Dal has one of the lowest GI scores of any commonly eaten legume — approximately GI 8, which is considered very low by international nutritional standards (low GI = below 55). Moong Dal is next at approximately GI 25. Both are substantially lower GI than white rice (GI ~72) or white bread (GI ~75). As a category, all dals and pulses tend to have low-to-moderate GI, making them a natural fit for traditional Indian low-GI meals like dal-rice or dal-roti.

Source: Foster-Powell et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002.

It depends on the dal:

• Moong Dal — No soaking needed. Cooks in 15–20 minutes directly. The fastest-cooking of the five.
• Chana Dal — Soak 30–60 minutes for stovetop cooking; no soak needed in a pressure cooker (3–4 whistles).
• Toor Dal — Soak 15–30 minutes for faster, more even cooking. Pressure cooker: 2–3 whistles.
• Urd Dal — For dal makhani, soak 6–8 hours or overnight for the best texture. For idli/dosa batter, soak 4–6 hours and grind wet.
• Fried Gram — Ready to eat; no cooking or soaking required.

Most commercially available dals are "polished" during processing — a step where the split seeds are tumbled with water, oil or leather to give them a uniform, shiny appearance that appeals to consumers and helps mask any colour variations. Polishing removes a portion of the natural bran layer from the seed surface, along with the fibre, iron and B vitamins concentrated there.

Unpolished dals look slightly less uniform — they may have a matte surface and colour variation between seeds — but they retain more of their natural nutritional profile. Dhatu's dals are unpolished: cleaned and graded for purity, but not cosmetically treated.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. A glass jar or BPA-free container works well. Organic dals without preservatives have a shelf life of 6–12 months when stored correctly. Signs of spoilage include musty smell, presence of moisture or visible pests — if you see any of these, discard and replace. Dhatu recommends buying in quantities you'll use within 3–4 months for best flavour and freshness.

All six dals in this collection — Moong, Chana, Fried Gram, Toor Dal 500g, Toor Dal 1kg and Urd Dal — are NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) certified. This is India's national standard for organic certification, equivalent in rigour to EU Organic and USDA Organic for domestic production. Certification requires annual farm inspections and verified input records.

Yes — Organic Urd Dal is the traditional and correct choice for idli and dosa batter. The classic South Indian ratio is 1 part urad dal to 3–4 parts idli rice. Soak both separately for 4–6 hours, grind the urd dal with cold water to a smooth, airy batter, then combine with the ground rice and ferment overnight (8–12 hours at room temperature). The fermented batter produces idlis that are soft, spongy and well-risen. Dhatu's unpolished urd dal ferments well — the natural bran layer supports active fermentation.