Chhavi Mittal has been enjoying the farm life. The actor and entrepreneur, who is a breast cancer survivor, recently gave a peek into her farm in Mumbai’s Pali Hill, which boasts of organic harvests. “Getting ready to harvest the first toor (pigeon peas) of the farm! Looks gorgeous, tastes awesome, and is 100 per cent organic,” Mittal shared on Instagram.
In another post, she expressed her love for the farm life, where she often experiments with cooking.
“Loving the farm life! Experimenting with cooking, collecting the fresh produce growing around me, while ensuring there’s no food wastage. The vegetable peels go to the hens, what they discard goes to compost, the bones go to the pets, in the end everyone’s happy! But the best part is we continue the cycle of life. We get to teach the kids the importance of little things. We teach them the importance of being together as a family,” said Mittal.
Manas Arvind, entrepreneur, innovator, urban farmer, and founder of Gurgaon Farmers Market, agreed that fresh tur or toor or arhar dal produce is one of the most versatile perennial legumes that grow up to 3-4 meters tall within 5-6 months.
Like pea pods, pigeon pea grows in clusters and doesn’t have to be replanted every season. He explained that a small, woody shrub is an excellent nitrogen fixer plant that benefits the other plants growing around.
Toor dals in the markets are always not whole but split (Photo: Freepik)
These plants thrive in warm and dry climates like that of dry parts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana and are often grown as food and fodder crops. “The pods containing the dal are carefully plucked to avoid damage, which is time-consuming. The handpicked pods undergo a meticulous drying process in the sun to reduce moisture. This helps ensure quality and prolong its life,” said Manas.
Notably, while you can get your hands on whole chana, moong, and urad, sourcing whole toor dal is almost impossible in markets, shared Manas, adding that you get only split tur or toor dal in the markets for their ease of cooking.
“These can be eaten raw or cooked like a sabzi. But a little time-consuming. So, it’s best found in farms,” shared Manas.