Horse gram and moth bean are legumes of the tropics and subtropics, grown mostly under dry-land agriculture.
In wetter areas, it is usually sown at the end of the wet season, to grow and crop in the dry season. It is a drought tolerant crop and is mostly grown in areas with under 900 mm (35 in) of precipitation, and even as little as 380 mm (15 in). Horse gram thrives where the temperature is in the range 20 to 30 ☌ (68 to 86 ☏) but is killed by frost. It is also grown for fodder and as a green manure crop in tropical countries in southeastern Asia, and in northern Australia. It was probably first domesticated in India, and is now grown as a legume from India to Myanmar. Here are some images of this wonderful edible bean.Horse gram is native to tropical southern Asia and has been found in archaeological sites in India, starting from 2500 BC. This might be because the legumes are used for feeding horses.
Applying a paste of powdered Horse Gram along with some water on the skin helps to control boils and skin rashes.This water is also used for relieving cough and cold.Horse Gram water is prescribed for treating jaundice in Andhra Pradesh.In Maharashtra, it is used for making pithla, kulith usal and laddu.Various preparations of these beans are eaten with boiled rice and roti.It is also popularly used for making curries and soups.A delicious dish is prepared by using Horse Grams along with tender radish leaves, coriander leaves, rai and spinach.The legumes are cooked in a sauté pan to prepare a dish called “Ras”.In the Himalayan region, it is used as a major food source.It is widely used in the Karnataka cuisine.The edible legumes are used for preparing various dishes. In India, Horse Gram is believed to be beneficial for treating kidney stones.These legumes help to control various menstrual problems.It is also beneficial for reducing flatulence.According to some studies, the lipid extracts of Horse Gram are beneficial for treating peptic ulcer.They also help to lower cholesterol levels.The phenol content of the seeds helps to reduce excessive weight.Controlling fever is another health benefit of Horse Gram.They are believed to be helpful for keeping the body warm during winter.The beams are beneficial for extracting phlegm.They have astringent and diuretic properties.It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating numerous health disorders including rheumatism, worm, conjunctivitis and piles.Various health benefits can be derived from these beans: Here is the nutritional fact for 100 gm of this legume: Nutrients Harvesting of the seeds can be done both by hands and by using a harvester. These plants do not survive in frost and extremely cold weather. But, they prefer 500 mm to 2500 mm rainfall. They can tolerate saline soils with the preferred pH range being 6.0 to 7.5.
Tropic and sub-tropic climates are ideal for their growth. The plants can adapt to a wide range of soil types from granitic sands to heavy clays. They are also found in other parts of the world including Africa, Malaysia, Australia and the West Indies. These plants are indigenous to the southeastern regions of India. They are known by various names in different Indian languages: Seeds: The large seeds can be round or slightly flattened in shape. Pods: Their scimitar-shaped, compressed pods grow around 5 cm in length. The leaflets are oblong or lanceolate in shape.įlowers: Small yellow flowers grow in clusters from the leaf axils. Leaves: It has trifoliate leaves with each leaflet growing between 2.5 cm and 5 cm in breadth. Here is a general description of this climbing plant: Horse Gram grows as an annual plant with an attractive appearance. The scientific name for these plants is Macrotyloma uniflorum.