Musuro: Lentils and Beans in Nepali: Dal Names in English
Musuro means red lentils, mung means mung beans, rahar means pigeon peas, and kerau means peas in Nepali. This guide lists common names for dal, dried beans and peas in Nepali and English, and explains the forms you will see in shops. Names vary by region and by shop, so always check the variety and whether it is whole, split, skin-on or skinless before you buy.
What does "dal" mean?
Dal (also spelled daal or dhal) is both an ingredient and a dish. As an ingredient it means dried, split pulses such as lentils, peas and beans. As a dish it is the thick, spiced lentil soup served with rice (bhat) and vegetable curry (tarkari) in the everyday Nepali meal called dal bhat tarkari (दाल भात तरकारी). Recipes number in the thousands, and most are simple, flavoured with a few spices.
Common dal and bean names in Nepali and English
| Nepali name | English name | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Musuro (मसुरो) | Masoor lentils, red or orange lentils | Whole brown or split red/orange; split cooks fastest |
| Mung / mugi (मुग) | Mung beans, green gram, moong | Whole green, split with skin, or split yellow |
| Rahar (रहर) | Pigeon peas, toor or arhar dal | Usually sold split and yellow |
| Chana (चना) | Chickpeas, Bengal gram | Whole chickpeas or split chana dal |
| Maas (मास) | Black gram, urad | Whole black, split with skin, or split white |
| Kerau (केराउ) | Peas | Whole dried peas or yellow/green split peas |
| Bodi (बोडी) | Cowpeas, black-eyed peas | Varieties and local names differ |
| Rato bodi / rajma (राजमा) | Kidney beans | Dried beans need proper soaking and cooking |
| Gahat (गहत) | Horse gram | Whole pulse, used in soups and curries |
| Bhatmaas (भटमास) | Black soybeans | Often roasted or fried as a snack |
Whole, split, skin-on, skinless: how dal is sold
The same bean can appear in several forms. The words below are common in Nepali and Indian shops.
- Sabut (whole): the unhulled, unsplit bean, such as sabut mung or sabut urad.
- Chilka (with skin, split): split but still carrying its husk, such as mung dal chilka.
- Dhuli (skinless, split): husked and split, the pale form such as urad dhuli or mung dhuli.
Whole beans take longer to cook and often need soaking. Split, skinless dals cook quickly and turn creamy, which is why split mung and masoor dal are popular for everyday dal.
How the main dals taste and cook
- Masoor (musuro): cooks fast and breaks down into a soft, mild soup.
- Mung (mugi): split yellow mung gives a light, creamy dal that is easy to digest.
- Rahar (toor): earthy and slightly nutty, often a base for everyday dal.
- Maas (urad): rich and sticky, used in dishes like dal and in batters.
- Gahat: a strong, hearty pulse often cooked in cold-weather soups.
Dal bhat in Nepal
Dal bhat is the staple of Nepali eating. A typical plate has rice, dal, a vegetable curry (tarkari) and a small amount of pickle (achaar). In many households it is eaten twice a day, in the morning and again in the late afternoon or evening. Festivals add meat, fish and sweets, but the dal and rice remain the base.
Buying and storing tips
- Confirm the type and form (whole or split, with skin or without) before buying.
- Store dried pulses in airtight containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Rinse before cooking. Soak whole beans and dried kidney beans, and cook kidney beans thoroughly.
- Older dal takes longer to soften, so buy from a shop with fast turnover.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nepali word for lentils? Musuro is the usual word for red lentils, and "dal" refers to lentils and other split pulses in general.
Is dal the same as lentils? Not exactly. Dal covers split lentils, peas and beans, and it is also the name of the cooked dish.
Which dal is best for beginners? Split mung (mugi) and masoor (musuro) cook quickly and do not need soaking.
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