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Split pigeon pea (toor dal)

Split pigeon peas, also called toor dal, are legumes commonly cooked into Indian dals, soups, and stews.

Split pigeon pea (toor dal) — illustrative ingredient image

About Split pigeon pea (toor dal)

Split pigeon pea, commonly called toor dal, is the dried, hulled, split seed of the pigeon pea plant. The pieces are usually small and disc-like, with a yellow, cream, or pale tan colour. It is cooked with water and seasonings for Indian dals and used in soups and stews.

When fully cooked, split pigeon pea becomes tender and partly creamy while retaining a mild legume flavour, sometimes described as earthy or nutty. It may also be used in savoury porridges. Cooking softens the dry pieces without necessarily eliminating their distinct legume texture.

It may be sold dry, split, and occasionally oil-treated or polished. Products can retain a less uniform surface or appear more even after polishing. Soaking and cooking hydrate and soften the pieces; extended cooking or stirring increases creaminess. Seed colour and cultivar are unspecified.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where split pigeon pea (toor dal) appears

2 linked foods

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Main dishes

Soups

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for split pigeon pea (toor dal)

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

split pigeon pea

English

toor dal

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Split pigeon pea (toor dal) nutrition & diet

Split pigeon pea (toor dal) nutritional value

Reference: Red gram, split, dried, raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion of the stated reference food.

Calories
347kcal
Protein
22.3g
Carbs
60.4g
Fat
1.5g

Per 100 g edible portion. Shaheen et al., Food Composition Table for Bangladesh, University of Dhaka (2013), FAO repository. The energy cell reports (kcal) followed by kJ; these figures use kcal. Carbohydrate is available carbohydrate by difference. This reference describes the named food form, not every cultivar, brand or recipe.

Portions & preparation

Use dry split pigeon peas, also called toor dal, after sorting and rinsing. Soaking may alter cooking time and texture, while simmering determines whether the result is distinct or creamy. Distinguish plain cooked dal from preparations with oil, spices, salt, vegetables, tamarind, dairy, or meat.

Compare the right form: Match references to dry split pigeon pea or cooked toor dal, specifying variety, soaking, cooking liquid, tempering, and other recipe ingredients.

Diet considerations

This is a plant-origin legume. Plain toor dal can fit vegetarian and vegan patterns, but recipes may add ghee, butter, dairy, meat stock, or meat. Rice, wheat breads, flour coatings, and portion size influence carbohydrate patterns; restaurant and packaged versions need recipe-specific review.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Food Composition Table for Bangladesh (2013) — 02_0010 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .