Vigna mungo, black gram, urad bean, mungo bean or black matpe bean (Sanskrit: माष, māṣa) is a bean grown in the Indian subcontinent. At one time it was considered to belong to the same species as the mung bean. The product sold as black lentil is usually the whole urad bean, whereas the split bean (the interior being white) is called white lentil. It should not to be confused with the much smaller true black lentil (Lens culinaris).
Black gram originated in India, where it has been in cultivation from ancient times and is one of the most highly prized pulses of India and Pakistan. It is very widely used in the Punjabi Cuisine and is often referred to as "maa di daal" in the native language by Punjabis. The Coastal Andhra region in Andhra Pradesh is famous for black gram after paddy. The Guntur District ranks first in Andhra Pradesh for the production of black gram. Black gram has also been introduced to other tropical areas such as the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, and Africa mainly by Indian immigrants.
Types of Black Matpe
Fair Average Quality(FAQ) - Specification
Parameter | Values/Limits |
Damaged Grain | Max. 4.0% |
Foreign Material | Max. 1% |
Brown Seeds | Max. 3% |
Sister Seeds | Max. 3% |
Weevilled Seeds | Max. 2% |
Special Quality(SQ) - Specification
Parameter | Values/Limits |
Damaged Grain | Max. 2.0% |
Foreign Material | Max. 1% |
Brown Seeds | Max. 2.50% |
Sister Seeds | Max. 6.0% |
Weevilled Seeds | Max. 0.5% |
Fair Average Quality(FAQ)