Kathol/legumes play the role of “protein providers” in vegetarian diets. On a Gujarati thali, kathol is as important as the seasonal vegetables. And amongst all the kathol we eat, Vaal is perhaps the most under-appreciated today.
Once an integral part of the Ladoo–Vaal feast, we have gradually moved away from both Vaal and those generous, ghee-soaked ladoos made with jaggery and whole wheat flour. Kaju Vaal, Rangooni Vaal, Surti Vaal, and Vaal ni Dal are some of the varieties and preparations that have long been part of Gujarati cooking traditions.
The jaggery-tamarind flavoured Kaju Vaal swimming in luscious rasa/jhol can instantly trigger memories of old-style sit-down meals, where food was served on patrada (leaf platters) and rice with vaal had to be eaten by hand, each morsel accompanied by unmistakable slurping sounds 😁
Vaal ni Dal is often paired with aamras during mango season. I remember how, as children, we were assigned the task of gently squeezing each soaked vaal bean so it would pop out of its outer skin.
And given its notorious tendency to induce flatulence, Gujarati even has a phrase for it—“Vaal karave taal” 😛 loosely meaning that vaal can embarrass us in public!
Butter beans, fava beans, lima beans… these are all vaal in our kitchens.