Ath Kulthi Katha

Kulthi Katha 

While I was posted in Pithoragarh,  a remote part of Uttrakhand during eighties , the locals insisted us to make Gahad Dal , an specialty of the area , as a part of our daily food habit keeping in view of its tremendous health benefits that includes diluting kidney stone. It’s local delicacy was Dubke or tasty dumplings. 

Few years later,  I came to  Bombay, than realised  that the same Gahad Dal has its local avatar in  Kulith  Dal. 

It is also known as Horsegram as horse gram dal is mostly fed to horses from ages. It is also grown in  Asia's south-east subcontinent and tropical Africa.

But it is also a fact that Horsegram dal is not as widely made as some of the other dals such as green moong dal or Arhar Dal. But it is just as delicious and very nutritious.

It’s botanical name is   Macrotyloma uniflorum, it  is a dark brownin appearance flat and round in shape.

This dal is a good source of protein, iron and calcium. It's also known as poor man's food because it is energy-dense. It is a drought-tolerant crop that can be grown in low-rainfall areas and dry climates.