Types of Lentils and Pulses: Masoor, Moong, Chana and Rajma

Three common types of lentils are red split lentils (masoor dal), brown lentils (sabut masoor) and green lentils, and many South Asian cooks also use mung beans, chickpeas and red kidney beans for dal and curry. Lentils need no soaking and simmer in about 15–30 minutes (follow the pack); chickpeas and kidney beans need an overnight soak, at least 12 hours for kidney beans, and dried kidney beans must also be boiled hard.

Types of lentils and pulses at a glance

Times are approximate, from our product pages unless marked; the instructions on your pack come first.

Dal vs lentils: what do the words mean?

Pulses are the dried seeds of legume plants; the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) limits the word to crops harvested only for their dry grain, which rules out fresh green beans and peas. Pulses.org's visual guide sorts them into lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas, so chickpeas, mung beans and kidney beans are pulses but not lentils.

Dal (also dhal or dahl) comes from Hindi. Oxford Learner's Dictionaries defines it as "a South Asian dish made from lentils or other pulses", but Britannica notes that it refers to both raw and cooked lentils, and in shops it often means a split pulse: masoor dal is red split lentils, and moong dal is mung beans that have been skinned and split, showing their yellow insides. Sabut means whole, chana are chickpeas and rajma are red kidney beans.

The main types of lentils

Pulses.org's visual guide lists six lentils: brown, green, French green, beluga, and red, both whole and split. We sell three: red split, brown and green.

Red split lentils (masoor dal)

Our Sara red split lentils are Canadian, small and skinless, so they cook fast and collapse into a creamy purée: the everyday dal lentil, and handy for thickening soups. Rinse them until the water runs clear, simmer in 3 cups of water per cup of lentils, skim off any early foam, and add salt, tomato or lemon near the end so they stay tender. Use them for tarka dal, shorba or Turkish mercimek çorbası, but not salads.

Brown lentils (sabut masoor)

Sold as sabut masoor or whole masoor dal, brown lentils are mild and earthy and hold their shape. Use the same 1 to 3 ratio: drain them as soon as they are tender for a salad, or cook them longer and mash them slightly for dal. Use them for Lebanese mujadara (lentils and rice), koshari and soups.

Green lentils

Whole and speckled, with a firm, peppery bite, our green lentils stay whole after cooking, so they suit warm salads, stews and side dishes. Add salt only in the last few minutes, or the skins can toughen.

Mung beans, chickpeas and kidney beans

These are not lentils, but they go into the same dals, curries and salads. We also sell Sara split broad beans for foul mudammas, falafel and bessara.

Mung beans (green moong)

Also sold as sabut moong or green gram, mung beans are small, quick-cooking whole beans. A 2–4 hour soak is optional. Use them for sabut moong dal, khichdi (kitchari), Chinese mung bean soup and Filipino monggo.

Black chickpeas (kala chana)

Kala chana are small, dark desi chickpeas, also sold as brown chickpeas, with a nutty flavour and a firm bite that holds up in curries and chaat. They stay firmer than white chickpeas, and our product page says a pressure cooker gives the best results. Try kala chana masala, chana chaat or ghugni.

Chickpeas (kabuli chana)

Kabuli chana, or garbanzo beans, are the larger, cream-coloured chickpeas; ours are 7–8mm. Cook them covered by about 5cm of water. For very smooth hummus, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the cooking water and cook them until very soft (our tahini guide covers the rest). They also make chana masala, chole and salads.

Red kidney beans (rajma)

Our dark red kidney beans are firm and meaty and keep their shape in chilli, curries and salads. Use them for rajma masala (rajma chawal), chilli con carne or Jamaican rice and peas.

How to cook dried red kidney beans safely

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) warns: "Raw or undercooked beans especially red kidney beans can be risky. This is because they naturally contain a type of lectin that can produce toxic effects." The FSA gives no soaking or boiling times, so these steps quote Diabetes UK's advice on cooking pulses:

1. Soak: "Soak the kidney and soya beans in water for at least 12 hours. Drain and rinse and cover in cold water." Our product page says the same.
2. Boil hard: "In the case of kidney beans, boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes" – a fast, rolling boil, not a simmer.
3. Simmer: "then simmer for around 45–60 minutes to make them tender."

Never put raw kidney beans in a slow cooker: "You should not slow cook raw red kidney beans as it does not destroy the toxin and may increase its toxicity," says the FSA. For a shortcut, use tinned beans; the FSA says canned beans bought in the supermarket "are safe to consume as they have been pre-soaked and boiled to kill any toxins present".

Which pulses need soaking, and for how long?

As Diabetes UK puts it, "With the exception of lentils and split peas, dried pulses need to be soaked in cold water before cooking." Our product pages agree, except that soaking mung beans is optional. Soak chickpeas and kidney beans overnight (at least 12 hours for kidney beans) in plenty of cold water, then drain, rinse and cook in fresh water. Cooking times vary with the type of pulse and its age, Diabetes UK adds, so follow your pack. Lentils.org gives shorter times than our product pages (typically about 5–7 minutes for split red lentils, 15–20 for whole), but CooksInfo allows about 20 minutes to cook red lentils to a purée, so taste early.

A simple tarka dal (serves 4)

Rinse 200g red split lentils and simmer them in 700ml water with ½ tsp Greenfields turmeric for 15–20 minutes, skimming off the foam, until soft, then salt to taste. For the tarka, fry 1 sliced onion in 2 tbsp oil or ghee until golden, add 2 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin and 2–3 bullet chillies for a minute, and pour it over the dal. Serve with basmati rice (see our sella basmati guide) or paratha. Ghee contains milk, so use oil for a dairy-free dal.

Buying and storing lentils and pulses

All seven come from Sara in 500g and 1kg resealable pouches, 5kg bulk bags and 25kg sacks. See our bulk buys for big packs, and pulses, rice and grains for rice, freekeh and bulgur.

• Dried: keep them resealed or in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, and use them by the best-before date.
• Cooked: the FSA's advice on leftovers is to cool them and put them in the fridge within two hours, eat them within 48 hours or freeze them, and reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout.
• Allergens: all seven product pages say the pulses contain none of the 14 major allergens but may contain traces of other pulses and cereals containing gluten, so check the pack label.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to soak lentils before cooking?

No. Red split, brown and green lentils need only a good rinse; Diabetes UK names lentils and split peas as the dried pulses that don't need soaking. Chickpeas and kala chana need 8–12 hours' soaking (our product pages), and red kidney beans at least 12 hours (Diabetes UK) before you boil them hard.

Is masoor dal the same as red lentils?

Yes. Masoor dal is the South Asian name for red split lentils, which are skinned and split, so they cook in about 15–20 minutes and turn soft and creamy. Whole masoor, sold as sabut masoor or brown lentils, holds its shape and takes about 20–30 minutes.

Are mung beans lentils?

No. Mung beans, or green moong, are small beans rather than lentils, though both are pulses and both make good dal. Whole green moong simmers in about 30–45 minutes (our product page), or less after a 2–4 hour soak. Skinned and split, mung beans become yellow moong dal.

Do red kidney beans need to be soaked and boiled?

Yes, if you start with dried beans. The FSA warns that raw or undercooked red kidney beans can be risky because they contain a type of lectin. Diabetes UK advises soaking them for at least 12 hours, then boiling vigorously for at least 10 minutes before simmering. Never slow cook them raw.

Which lentils are best for dal?

Red split lentils (masoor dal) are a common everyday choice: they cook in about 15–20 minutes and turn soft and creamy. For more texture, use brown or green lentils or whole green moong, mashed slightly at the end. Chickpeas, kala chana and rajma suit thicker curries such as chana masala.