Macrotyloma uniflorum

Macrotyloma uniflorum (horse gram, kulthi bean, hurali, Madras gram[2]) is one of the lesser known beans. It is used as horse feed and occasionally for human consumption and in Ayurvedic cuisine.[3] Horse gram is grown in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, and West Bengal in India, as well as in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and elsewhere.[4] It is consumed as a whole seed, as sprouts, or as whole meal in India, popular in many parts of India. Medical uses of these legumes have been discussed.

Macrotyloma uniflorum
Horse gram seeds
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Macrotyloma
Species:
M. uniflorum
Binomial name
Macrotyloma uniflorum
(Lam.) Verdc.
Varieties
  • M. uniflorum var. stenocarpum (Brenan) Verdc.
  • etc.
Synonyms[1]
  • Dolichos uniflorus Lam.
  • Glycine uniflora (Lam.) Dalzell
  • Kerstingiella uniflora (Lam.) J.A.Lackey

Horse gram and moth bean are legumes of the tropics and subtropics, grown mostly under dry-land agriculture. The chemical composition is comparable with more commonly cultivated legumes. Like other legumes, these are deficient in methionine and tryptophan, though horse gram is an excellent source of iron and molybdenum. Comparatively, horse gram seeds have higher trypsin inhibitor and hemagglutinin activities and natural phenols than most bean seeds. Natural phenols are mostly phenolic acids, namely, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, syringic and sinapic acids. Though both require prolonged cooking, a soak solution (1.5% NaHCO3 + 0.5% Na
2CO
3 + 0.75% citric acid) has been shown to reduce cooking time and improve protein quality. Moth bean is mostly consumed as dhal or sprouts.

History

Horse gram is found in archaeological sites in India, starting from 2500 BC.[5]

Indian regional specifics
Horse gram seeds

In India, it is also known as gahat, muthira, kulath, or kulthi. It is used to make popular dishes like Chana, Chholey, kulitan saaru, kulitan upkari, kulitan ghassi (coconut curry preparation), and idli like preparation (but not fermented) called kulitan sannan.

  • In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, horse gram is prescribed for jaundice or as a diuretic, and as part of a weight-loss diet.[3] It is considered helpful for iron deficiencies. Ulavacharu (horse gram soup) is popular dish in Andhra Pradesh, it is served with boiled rice in most of the Telugu-speaking people's weddings and ceremonies.
  • In Darjeeling and Sikkim, horse gram (called (gahat in Nepali) is considered a medicinal food. It is given to children suffering from mumps. Water in which gahat is soaked is taken by people suffering from kidney stones in the belief that this dissolves the crystals. Gahat's use is specially reserved for the cold winters, when its heat-producing properties are most useful.
  • In Kerala, horse gram, (called മുതിര (muthira) in Malayalam which almost sounds like കുതിര (kuthira), Malayalam word for horse), is used in special kinds of dishes.
  • In Tamil Nadu, horse gram (called கொள்ளு - 'kollu' in northern districts and காணம் - 'kaanam' in southern districts ) is commonly used in Tamil dishes, including kollu chutney, kollu porial, kollu avial, kollu sambar, and kollu rasam.
  • In Maharashtra and Goa, horse gram (called हुलगा) (hulage/hulaga in Marathi and Kulith in Konkani) is often used to make aamati, kulith usal, pithla and shengule/shevanti.
  • In Karnataka cuisine, ಹುರಳಿಸಾರು (hurali saaru), ಹುರಳಿ (hurali) is a main ingredient. Hurali is also used in preparations such as usali, chutney, basaaru, and upsaaru or upnesaru (particularly in the Old Mysore Regions Mandya and Chamrajnagara Districts).
  • In South Canara region of Karnataka, in Tulu, it is also called kudu (ಕುಡು).
  • In Odisha it is known by the name କୋଳଥ (Kolatha).
  • Gahat or kulath is a major ingredient in the food of Pahari region of northern India.
  • In Himachal Pradesh, kulath is used to make khichdi. In Uttarakhand, it is cooked in a round iron saute pan (kadhai) to prepare ras, a favorite of most Kumaonis. In Garhwal region, another more elaborate dish is phanu which is made in a kadhai with roughly ground gahat (previously soaked overnight) boiled over several hours. Towards the end, some finely chopped greens (palak or spinach, rai, tender radish leaves, or dhania(coriander leaves) if nothing else is available) are added to complete the dish. Served with boiled rice, jhangora (a millet-like grain, used as a staple by poorer Garhwalis only a decade ago and now a prized health-food)

In Myanmar (Burma), horse gram is known as pe bazat (ပဲပိစပ်). It is commonly used in making pon ye gyi, a fermented bean paste used in traditional Burmese cuisine.

Nutrition

Horse gram seed contains carbohydrate (57.2% w/w), protein (22% w/w), dietary fiber (5.3% w/w), fat (0.50% w/w), calcium (287 mg), phosphorus (311 mg), iron (6.77 mg) and calories (321 kcal) as well as vitamins like thiamine (0.4 mg), riboflavin (0.2 mg) and niacin (1.5 mg) per 100 grams of dry matter. Its nutritional content is partly dependent on soil conditions and the weather. Its less appealing taste has led it to be not commonly eaten.[6]

Medicinal uses

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology have found that unprocessed raw horse gram seeds not only possess antihyperglycemic properties, but also have qualities which reduce insulin resistance. The scientists made a comparative analysis between horse gram seeds and their sprouts and found that the seeds have greater beneficial effects on the health of hyperglycemic individuals. The majority of antioxidant properties are confined to the seed coat and its removal would not do any good. Raw horse gram seed is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and proteins, major antioxidants present in fruits and other food materials. The seed has the ability to reduce postprandial hyperglycemia by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and reducing insulin resistance by inhibiting protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1 beta enzyme.[7]

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References
  1. "Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. "Taxonomy - GRIN-Global Web v 1.10.5.0". npgsweb.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  3. Marimuthu, M.; Krishnamoorthi, K. (2013). "Nutrients and functional properties of horse gram (Macrotyloma Uniflorum), an underutilized south Indian food legume" (PDF). Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research. 5 (5): 390–394. ISSN 0975-7384.
  4. "Horse Gram" (PDF). Government of India, Directorate of Pulses Development. 3 April 2017.
  5. Pearman, Georgina (2005). Prance, Ghillean; Nesbitt, Mark (eds.). The Cultural History of Plants. Routledge. p. 144. ISBN 0415927463.
  6. Bhartiya, A.; Aditya, J. P.; Kant, L. (2015). "NUTRITIONAL AND REMEDIAL POTENTIAL OF AN UNDERUTILIZED FOOD LEGUME HORSEGRAM (Macrotyloma uniflorum): A REVIEW". The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences. 25 (4): 908–920. ISSN 1018-7081.
  7. Mallikarjun, Y. (April 25, 2013). "Raw horse gram good for diabetics". The Hindu. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  • Kadam SS, Salunkhe DK (1985). "Nutritional composition, processing, and utilization of horse gram and moth bean". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 22 (1): 1–26. doi:10.1080/10408398509527416. PMID 3899515.

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