Discount Pantry staples

TRS Toor Dal is split pigeon pea, also sold as tuvar or arhar dal. It is the backbone of sambar and of most everyday North Indian dals, cooking down to a smooth, mildly sweet golden purée.

This is the larger 2 kg pack, which suits a household cooking dal several times a week.

Best for

• Sambar
• Dal tadka and dal fry
• Gujarati dal, and rasam

How to cook it

Rinse two or three times. A 20 minute soak shortens the cooking but is not essential. Pressure cook with about 3 parts water to 1 part dal for 3 to 4 whistles, or simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until the grains collapse when pressed. Finish with a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, garlic and curry leaves.

Pack and storage

2 kg. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Black Gram (Urid Dal Chilka) is urad split in half with the dark skin left on, which is what the word chilka refers to. It cooks softer than whole urad but keeps more texture and a deeper, earthier taste than the skinless white dal.

Best for

• Urad chilka dal with ginger and garlic
• Mixed dal, panchmel dal and dhaba-style lentils
• Adding body to dosa and adai batters

How to cook it

Rinse until the water runs clear and soak for about an hour. Pressure cook one cup with three cups of water and a pinch of turmeric for four to five whistles, then finish with a tempering of cumin, garlic and chilli in ghee. It thickens as it stands, so keep a little hot water aside to loosen it before serving.

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Split Chickpeas (Chana Dal) are husked, split brown chickpeas, noticeably firmer than toor or moong. They hold their shape when cooked, so you get distinct pieces rather than a smooth purée, with a nutty, mildly sweet taste.

Best for

• Chana dal tadka and dal with bottle gourd
• Sundal, usili and dry South Indian sides
• Grinding into vada batter and stuffing for puran poli

How to cook it

Rinse and soak for at least an hour, longer if you can, as unsoaked chana dal takes a long time to give way. Pressure cook one cup with three cups of water and a pinch of turmeric for four to five whistles for a soft dal, or three whistles if you want the pieces intact. Salt at the end. For vada or sundal, soak but do not overcook.

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Puffed Rice (Mumra) in a large pack, plain and unsalted, for households that make bhel and chivda regularly. Because it is puffed dry it weighs almost nothing and takes up a lot of room, so a kilo is a great deal of mumra. It carries very little taste of its own and exists to give crunch and to soak up chutney at the last second before serving. Mix it in only when everything else is ready, as it goes soggy within a minute or two of meeting anything wet. Any that loses its snap can be refreshed in a dry pan or a low oven for a couple of minutes and cooled before use.

Best with

• Bhel puri and jhal muri
• Chivda and tempered dry snack mixes
• Masala mumra with peanuts, curry leaf and turmeric

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana) in a larger pack, the small dark chickpea with a firm skin that holds its shape through long cooking. It is denser and earthier than the white kabuli chickpea and does not break down into a purée, which is why it works as well cold as hot.

Best for

• Kala chana masala and Punjabi-style gravies
• Sundal for festivals, tempered with coconut and curry leaf
• Sprouting for salads and chaat

How to cook it

Soak overnight in plenty of water; eight hours is the minimum and twelve is better. Drain, then pressure cook one cup with three cups of fresh water for six to eight whistles until they crush easily between finger and thumb. Salt after cooking. To sprout them, soak overnight, drain and leave loosely covered for a day.

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.