Gram bean

Scientific Name: – Vigna mungo

Vigna mungo, known as Urad Dal, black gram, black lentil (not to be confused with the much smaller true black lentil (Lens culinaris)), white lentil, black matpe bean, is a bean grown in Indian subcontinent. It, along with the mung bean, was placed in Phaseolus, but has since been transferred to Vigna. At one time it was considered to belong to the same species as the mung bean. The product sold as “black lentil” is usually the whole urad bean or urad dal. The product sold as “white lentil” is the same lentil with the black skin removed.

Back to Glossary Index Page