International Year of Pulses

While most of us probably aren’t familiar with the term ‘Pulses’, we’ve all enjoyed these tasty parts of our diet. Every part of the world has some form of Pulse in its diet, so what are they? Simply put, they’re what most of us know as ‘Legume’. If you’ve ever enjoyed navy beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, well… You get the idea, then you’ve enjoyed pulses.

History of the International Year of Pulses

The International Year of Pulses was established as 2016 by the UN in 2015. Legume’s play a vital role in crop rotation, as they all share the trait of fixing nitrogen into the soil. The UN established 2016 as the International Year of Pulses to help spread awareness of this vital role in agriculture.

Pulses are also important for their ability to be stored indefinitely. Once dried, pulses will remain viable so long as they remain that way, at which point they can be cooked into an important source of non-meat protein. A tribute to the importance of pulses in cultures around the world can be shown by the fact that they’ve been in production since 3300BC, the earliest found example of legume agriculture being found near the Ravi River in Punjab.

How to celebrate the International Year of Pulses

Celebrating the International Year of Pulses is as simple as exploring the diverse nature of this delicious food crop. Pinto beans are the primary ingredient in Mexican food, being the crop used to produce refried beans. Chickpeas are the foundation of Hummus, a food with great cultural importance in many international cuisines.

Get together with your friends and families to try out new dishes that include the legume, and you may find some pleasant surprises in with the mix. When most people think of beans they think of a savory addition to a meal, primarily as part of the dinner course. But Red Beans and Red Bean Paste have served as a source of some delicious sweet treats in Japanese culture.

The International Year Of Pulses is a great opportunity to expand your cultural and culinary palette by exploring this amazing crop.