Moth Beans
Moth bean is native to India and Pakistan, grown for food production and as a forage and cover crop. It is predominately grown in India, although it has been cultivated in the United States, Australia, Thailand and other parts of Asia. 1.5 million hectares of land is used in India for moth bean production, producing approximately 0.4 million t/ha of seeds, While its presence in Sudan, Somalia and other tropical countries of Africa has been noted, it has not been a crop of great importance to this region. The potential of increased production in this region in the future has been suggested.
Production
- India
- Brazil
- Myanmar
- Mexico
- Tanzania
- China
- Uganda
Production of Moth beans in India
- Rajasthan
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Maharashtra
- Punjab
Uses
Moth bean seed is used as human food in India and Pakistan. the seeds can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable and can also be processed as dals to preserve them for a long time. And later can be prepared in sprouts and also be cooked as any other dal or beans. In India, green pods are eaten as a vegetable, and the tiny seeds are eaten whole or split. Traditionally in India, The seeds are fried to make them into a crunchy snack. The mothbean incorporated products holige, masala vadai, nucchinundae, payasam, kharasev are prepared by replacing the main pulse used in the basic recipe at 50 per cent level and papad at 100 per cent. Also Moth Bean can be assimilated as a flour to prepare south Indian foodie delights like Idli and dosa. Moth Bean seeds are a good and potential reservoir of Proteins and other essential minerals and vitamins.
New crop
March-April