PULSES

4.1 INTRODUCTION
We have leamt how to use the carbohydrate and protein of the
cereal to the best of our advantage. In this chapter you will leClm
about the food item pulse. you must have heard of pulse when
protein foods were discussed. Pulses provide most of the protein for
vegetarian diet. Pulse forms an important part of our diet and is
consumed in a variety of ways. You would leam about the structure
and nutrients in them. While processing and cooking. What are the
inhibiting factors that make protein in pulse unavailable. Measures
to inactivate them. Usage of pulse to enhance the nutritive quality of
food.
What are pulses? Pulses are seeds of leguminous plants (bean
variety). Some common pulses are found in the form of whole
legume, or split bean with or without the'skins reffered to as dais.
They are also found in the market in the form of powder, extruded
products, e.g. nutri-nuggets and wadi, and processed foods like
papad. Can you recognise and name different pulses available in the
market? Let's do the following assignment.

4.2 OBJECTIVES
After reading this lesson you will be able to :
• list different pulses available;
• .describe the structure and composition of a pulse;
• elaborate the changes that occur during cooking;
• use these changes in products to our advantage.

Assignment 4.1

Aim: To name and identify the variety of pulses available in the

market and to identify their forms.
Method: The information from market survey should be put down in
the table. At least identify 7-8 pulses.
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..
 PULSES:: 41

S. Name Figure Split Figure Any other form

N. whole With Without Name Form
sikn skin

1.
2.

3.

4.

5.
6.
7. "
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If.,YOI{dcinot.recognise a pulse,' ask somebody to identify it 'for you.'

Th~i:SU~~Y."~ust have helped you to identify a variety of pulses.
Soms::o( ~em like Rajma, Lobia, Soyanean, Kabuli channa are
avaiiabi~,,$nly as whole legume. Soyabean as such is not very
popularjnfndia. But is of great importance, specially for vegetarians
because (;>f..1tS
high amount of good protein. It has higher amount of
vitamins and fat too. Soyabean is used for extracting milk which is
sold as Sipso in India. Cheese called teaspen can be made from this
milk. Fermented soyabean gives soya sauce. Soya flour is also
available and is made of soyabeans from which oil has been ex-
tracted. Nutrinuggets is also a soyabean product.
Pulses like Bengal gram, Urad dal, Moong, Masoor, Moth are avail-
able both as whole gram, and as split' dal with~and without husk.
Some of the da1sare available as gram flour. Besan is onesuch flour
and is prepared from benqal gram. You can also get urad dal flour,
moong dal flour. Vada ls a preparation of urad and/or moong dal.
- One of the processed food made from pulse that is commonly ,
consumed are papad. You must have at least seen 4-f) varieties of
papads.

--Assignment 4.2
Aim: To know the structure and nutritive value, of pulses.
Proecdure:
.
1) Physical features - differ from pulseto pulse. Observe the
chart ypu have developed in assignment 4.1. '
2) Soak a few seeds of anyone whole pulse or ~ FJlixtureoLwhole
pulses for 4-5 hours.' .
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42 :: CATERING MANAGEMENT

'3) Remove the outer cover called seed coat / husk. Due to soaking
it can be removed easily. Then break the seed into two parts
called cotyledons. These contain food for 'germ' which is placed
where the two cotyledons are joined. When allowed to germi-
. nate germ develops into a plant.

4.3 NUTRITIVE VALUE

The food stored in the two cotyledons is basically protein and
carbohydrates. The proteins of pulses contain most of essential
amino acids but not all. This is why the pulses must be teamed with
cereals. The proteins present in the two complement each other.
Husk provides some minerals like calcium and nun-and vitamins.
Pulses have very little vitamin C but the vitamin C content is in-
creased on germination. Germinau., •.••.d fermentation makes the
protein and other nutrients more available and increase dig~st::!b!!ity
of pulses. Pulses improve in nutritive contents by germination and
fermentation.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 4.1

i) Give four charact .sicsof soyabeans.
ii) Name two chief nut ' of pulses.
iii) What are cotyledons, germ and husk in pulses.
iv) Name 3 products of soyabean.
v) List four forms of pulses.

4.4 WHAT IS GERMINATION?

Assignment 4.3
Aim: To observe the changes occuring during germination.
Method: Take a handful of moong whole or black channa. Soak it
in water for 4-5 hours. Drain water and tie in a muslin cloth and allow
to germinate for 24-36 hours.
Observation

Appearance

Texture
--
Flavour
 . PUlSES:: 43

Use these sprouts in one of the dishes in a meal. The germinated

pulse will swell up with water then, on germination the husk will break
and the germ starts sprouting, a radicle appears which grows to a
length of 1-2 cm by 36 hours. The pulse becomes soft in texture, and
sweet to taste. This is because the carbohydrate present in pulse get
converted to simple sugar.

Assignment 4.4
Aim: To study the process and effect of fermentation.
Material required: Urad dal- 1 cup, water.

Proecdure:
i) Soak urad dal in enough water for 112 hour.
ii) Grind it to fine paste and leave it in a warm place for 5-6 hours.

Oosetvetion : You will find that the dal has doubled and risen to a light
mixture. This has happened due to fermentation which a process
wherein yeast present in dal acts on starch also present in dal.

Conclusion: Fermented products are soft and spongy. Nutritionally

also their quality improves. They are easily digestible. Find out some
dishes for which fermentation is used. Yes, fermented products are
idli, dosa, uthapam, bathura, na~, dhokla, etc.

Assignment 4.5 (a)

Aim: To use different methods to cook legumes and dal.
Method:
1. Pre soak 100 g of black channa in water for 4 hrs and cook on
low flame. Double the quantity of water in a pan (closed) till the
legume is tender. Add more wat~r if necessary.
2. Pre soak 200 g of black channa in water for 4 hours and cook
. in' pressure cooker for 20 min. on low temperature after the first
whistle. .

Method Time Water Remarks

Appea- pressure of
rance water

Pan cooking
.~--:y)

Pressure cooking

Assignment 4.5(b)
Aim: To cook dal to different consistency.
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Method: Take 30 gm moonq dal, cook in 1 cup water in a pan, take

the same amount of dal and cook in 2 cups and 3 cups of water in
a pan.
Observation: Note the time of cooking, appearance and texture after
the water has evaporated in cooking.

Dal Appearance Time Consistency

One cup water

Two cups of wafer

Three cups of water

Conclusions for 4.5(a) and (b)

How 'to get the best while cookinq puls-,s? Dry whole pulses have to
be presoaked in water to soften, prior to cooking It should be
preferably cooked in a pressure cooker as the presence of the outer
cover or husk of pulse interferes with the passage of water into the
cotyledons. While cooking the pulseptarch it contains undergoes
the +ranqes similar to starch of cereals. Do you remember what it
was? Yes, you are right, the starch gels. It is necessary to add twice '
the quantity of water to cook the whole pulse as it needs water to first
soften and then gel. Snlit dais cook more easily as the husk has been
broken or removed. 1. I also do riot need presoaking if pressure
cooker is used. Pulses are mostly cooked with liquidy consistancy.
The powdered form or besan is the flour obtained from bengal gram.
Urad and moong dais are also available in powdered form.
Pulse is also combined with other food items. Let us find out about
these.

Assignment 4.6
. Aim : To identify menu items that are prepared with pulse combina-
tion with other food itsms .
-
.

Pulse + item Items .prepared

1. Pulse + wheat flour

.
2. Pulse + refined flour

3. Pulse + rice
..
4. Pulse + vegetable

5. Pulse + curd
.
6. Pulse + fat

7. Pulse + green veg.

,.~----------...;.------------------------
 PULSES:: 45

4.5 EFFECT OF ADDITION OF ACID, ALKALI ON

LEGUME COOKING.
Acids retard the cooking. This is why we add amchur or tamarind to
pulses grams after these have been cooked. Many people use
cooking soda to soften pulse. Soda is an alkali. It does soften but
most of the nutrients are destroyed.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 4.2

Give at least two suggestions for

i) enhancing nutritive value of pulses.
ii) best results while cooking pulses.

4.6 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

Pulses

Its forms in rut1<et

I
Structure

I
Methods of cooking a pulse

I
Enhancing nutritive quality
1- __ 1
__ -1
Fermentation Combination

4.7 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Write down a short note on nutritive value of pulses.
2. What points should be kept in mind while cooking pulses.
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4.8 ANSWERS TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

4.1 (i) a) Soyabeans have high amount of good protein.

b) It has high amount of fats and vitamins.
c) It is used for extracting milk.
d) Fermented soyabean gives soya sauce.
(ii) Chief nutrients of pulses
(a) Proteins
(b) Carbohydrates.
(iii) (a) Outer cover of dal is called husk.
(b) Seed of dal can be divided into two parts after
soaking, these are called cotyledons. These store
food for the germ.
(c) Germ is the inner core of seed. On germination it
grows into a new plant.
(iv) Products of Soyabean
(a) Soyabean milk called sipso.
(b) Soyabean cheese .called teasp.
(c) Fermented soyabean is used to make soya-sauce.
(v) Forms of pulses
.. (a) Whole dal (b) Split dal (c) dal flour like besan .
. ' ...

(d) Processed pulse; papad and wadi

4.2 (i) Enhancing nutritive value of pulses.
(a) Germination (b) Fermentation
(ii) (a) Dry whole pulse should be pre-soaked for softening
(b) It should be pressure cooked.