Black gram, urd bean, urad bean, black lentil, black matpe bean, mungo bean Vigna mungo is an erect, fast-growing annual, herbaceous legume reaching 30-100 cm in height. It has a well-developed taproot and its stems are diffusely branched from the base. The inflorescence is borne at the extremity of a long up to 18 cm peduncle and bears yellow, small, papilionaceous flowers. The pod is hairy and has a short hooked beak. Vigna mungo seeds are mainly a staple food and the dehulled and split seeds dhal in Hindi are a common dish in South Asia. They can be ground into flour used for making papad and tasty soup. Seeds, sprouts and green pods are edible and much appreciated for their high digestibility and lack of flatulence induction. The seeds are normally too expensive to be used as a feed, even in areas of primary production. It has rich of protein, manganese, vitamin B3, B5, B6, B9, copper, iron, potassium, carbohydrate, fiber etc.
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