In a bid to find a cost-effective alternative to arhar dal, Indian restaurants, dhabas, and canteens are increasingly turning to masoor dal for their dishes, particularly in sambar and dal preparations.
Masoor dal, also known as red and yellow lentils, has become a favored replacement for arhar dal in institutional settings due to its price tag, which is 60-70% lower than arhar dal, while still offering a comparable taste and texture. Many restaurants now use either fully or partially masoor dal instead of the traditional arhar dal recipe when preparing dal or sambar.
The recent fluctuations in arhar dal prices, ranging between Rs 150-200/kg, have prompted restaurants and canteens to make the wise switch to masoor dal for preparing dal and sambar. Despite a commendable increase of approximately 25% in India’s domestic production of masoor dal, the country is still expected to witness a surge in masoor imports.
Satish Upadhyay, a pulses importer, highlighted that despite the boost in Indian production, the preference for masoor over the more expensive tur dal would likely result in increased imports during the ongoing fiscal year.
Over the past 15 years, India’s masoor imports have shown a steady upward trend, with the country sourcing lentils from Australia, Canada, and Russia. The Mumbai region, in particular, has witnessed a remarkable growth in the number of lentil processing units dealing with masoor, indicating the increasing popularity of this alternative. Upadhyay noted that while the region had only a few units a decade ago, the number has now increased to about 10-12 units.
In response to the escalating prices of tur dal, the Tamil Nadu government has made a recent adjustment to the composition of pulses for the state’s civil supplies program, increasing the proportion of yellow lentils while reducing the quantity of tur dal it intends to purchase.
Data from the Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) show that the rising prices of tur dal have caused a decline in demand, leading consumers and the hospitality sector to opt for more affordable pulse varieties like masoor dal, chana dal, and batri dal.
As the trend of using masoor dal continues to grow, it presents an economical and equally flavorful option for Indian restaurants to serve their customers without compromising on taste and quality.
