Origin and identity
Val Dal — field beans and the flavour of the Western coast
Val dal (field beans, hyacinth beans, Lablab purpureus) is one of India's most regionally specific legumes — deeply embedded in the cooking of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and parts of South India, but almost unknown in North Indian cuisine. The intact val bean has a thick skin that must be removed before eating (the skin contains tannins that cause bitterness and digestive discomfort). Once skinned, val has a distinctive, slightly sweet, earthy character unlike any other Indian legume. Val usal — a Maharashtrian preparation with coconut and spices — is one of the great unsung dishes of Indian regional cooking.
Cooking Science
Why must val beans be skinned before eating, and what happens if you don't?
Val bean skin contains lectins and tannins at concentrations significantly higher than most other Indian legumes. The tannins produce intense astringency and bitterness when the skin is cooked and eaten; the lectins in raw or undercooked val skin can cause digestive distress. Soaking removes some tannins into the soaking water; the skin then slips off easily before cooking. Traditional val preparation always involves soaking, skin removal, and thorough cooking — all three steps are necessary for both palatability and safety. Properly prepared val has none of the astringency of the unskinned bean.
Val Dal — Preparation and Cooking
The skinning step is essential
- Soaking: 8–12 hours. The skin loosens during soaking and can be slipped off by rubbing between hands.
- Skinning: drain soaked val, rub vigorously between palms over a bowl of water. The loosened skins float up and can be poured off.
- After skinning: split val cooks in 25–30 minutes in a pressure cooker (2–3 whistles). Should be tender but holding its shape.
- Val usal: cooked val finished with coconut, green chilli, curry leaves, and jaggery — the classic Maharashtrian preparation that showcases val's sweet-earthy character.
Related articles
Val Dal (Field Beans) — Nutrition per 100g (dry, raw)
Source: ICMR-NIN Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, 2017
| Nutrient | Amount | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 347 kcal | Standard for legumes |
| Protein | 24.9 g | High — comparable to urad and masoor |
| Carbohydrates | 60.1 g | Standard |
| Dietary Fibre | 28.0 g | Very high — among the highest of Indian legumes |
| Fat | 0.8 g | Very low |
| Iron | 5.6 mg | Good |
| Calcium | 249 mg | Exceptionally high — among the best plant calcium sources |
| Phosphorus | 322 mg | High |
| Potassium | 1139 mg | Very high |
Val dal's calcium content (249mg/100g) is exceptionally high — higher than kabuli chana (202mg) and dramatically higher than most other Indian legumes. Combined with high protein (24.9g) and very high fibre (28g), val dal is one of the most nutritionally dense legumes in Indian cooking. Its regional limitation to Maharashtra and Gujarat means it is underutilised relative to its nutritional value.