Pulses

Pulses – dried beans, split peas and lentils – are a staple in India and help provide a large measure of the daily protein for families who eat meat rarely, or are vegetarian.

But beans, by themselves, are an incomplete food and need to be complemented – at the same meal – with a grain (rice or bread) and a dairy product (such as yogurt or cheese). When nutritionists tell us today that this food combination has as much protein as a steak, I cannot help but think of the villagers in India whose basic diet, for centuries, has been dals (split peas) and rice or bread, washed down with a glass of buttermilk. Perhaps these villagers are not so badly off, after all!