The red gram plants and seeds are used in many ways as human food, fodder, fuel, fencing materials and maintaining soil fertility. The main uses of Red gram are as follows:
1. Dal:
Decorticated split cotyledon of whole seed is called dal. Redgram is consumed mainly as dal in India. Redgram dal is a staple food and is an important ingredient of diet of Indian people. It is also consumed as dal in other South Asian countries, in Tanzania and Uganda in Africa.
2. Whole Dry Seed:
Whole dry seed is boiled and consumed in Eastern Africa, the West Indies and Indonesia. It is also consumed in Myanmar.
3. Roasted and Puffed Seed:
Roasted and puffed seeds are consumed in India.
4. Green (immature) Seed:
Used as vegetable in parts of India (mainly in Gujarat), also in Caribbean countries, in Latin American countries and East Southern Africa.
5. Young Pods:
Very young pods before the seed formation, cooked like beans in curries, are consumed in parts of India, Java and UK.
6. Seed Purpose:
Generally, farmers retain a part of his produce for seed purpose for sowing in next season.
7. Animal Feed:
The green leaves and tops of plants are used as animal feed in South Asia, Africa and Caribbean countries. The by-product of seed coats, broken bits and powder from dal mills form a valuable protein source of dairy animals. Cracked and shrivelled seeds are also used as animal feed. The husk of pods and leaves obtained during threshing constitute a valuable cattle feed.
8. Fuel Purpose:
The dry stem of the plant and dry leaves are used as fuel for cooking by the poor population in rural India.
9. Fencing Purpose:
The dry stalks of the plant are used in fencing and in basket making.
10. Lac Culture:
In China and Myanmar, the crop is also grown to culture the lac producing insects.
11. To Improve Soil Fertility:
Rhizobium bacteria are present in the root nodules of red gram. The red gram crop fixes atmospheric nitrogen in symbiotic association with Rhizobium bacteria and maintains the soil fertility.