If you follow the vegan lifestyle, there is a good chance that you’ve been told that your diet doesn’t contain enough protein. Many people believe that vegan diets do not satisfy our body’s nutritional needs, especially when it comes to protein.

Protein is a macronutrient which is extremely important for good health. While many people may believe that being non-vegetarian is the ideal way to ensure enough amount of protein your diet, fact is, vegans have a wide range of options when it comes to plant-based protein sources.

Whatever your diet, high protein pulses such as chana, chawli, rajma and moong are your best friend. Pulses are low-fat, plant based source of protein with high fibre content and low glycaemic index. As pulses contain high amount of fibre, they can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and maintain blood sugar levels. Additionally, pulses contain important vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium and zinc. Pulses are also abundant in B vitamins; including folate, thiamine and niacin.

Here we’ve put together a few pulse-based recipes, specially curated for the vegan diet.

Daliya (Broken Wheat) Khichdi

Here’s a unique take on the classic dal khichdi. It’s healthy, delicious and easy to whip up with a little pre-planning. Along with protein-rich moong dal, bulgur wheat makes this dish extremely healthy. It is healthy as it contains high amount of fibre. It may have a positive impact on heart health, weight loss, blood sugar control and digestive health. Daliya also contains manganese, magnesium, iron and fibre.

Soak 1 cup daliya and 1 cup moong dal or any other high-protein pulse of your choice separately for 3 - 4 hours. In a cooker, sauté rai (black mustard seeds) and jeera (cumin seeds). Next, mix in fennel powder, dhania powder, haldi powder and chilli powder, and sauté for about a minute. Add the quinoa and moong dal and sauté till an aroma rises. Add water and pressure cook for about 3 whistles. Serve with a side of your favourite fresh raw veggies.

Moong Sprout Salad

In a large saucepan, add 1 cup sprouted moong, 2 cups of water, crushed garlic, bay leaf, pepper and salt. You can even throw in any old veggies that you may have in your fridge. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, giving the sprouts time to soak up all the flavours. Next, drain the sprouts using a colander and set them aside. Chop cucumber, tomatoes, onion, coriander and rocket or arugula leaves. Add in the cooked sprouts. For the dressing, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, minced garlic, pepper and salt. Drizzle this over the salad and dig into a light yet wholesome dinner.

Three Bean Cutlets

These nutritious patties are made from three high protein pulses- Kabuli chana or white chickpeas, rajma or kidney beans and chawli or black-eyed peas. This recipe requires a bit more prep time, but the end result is well worth it. Pressure cook 1 cup of mixed, soaked beans until completely soft. Drain and set aside. Boil and peel one large potato and allow it to cool. Steam carrots, French beans and corn in a pressure cooker and let it cool. Next, put the beans, potato and vegetables in a food processor and blend till you get a coarse mash. Transfer to a bowl, add garlic, ginger, onion, pudina, coriander leaves, green chillies and mix well. Incorporate salt, pepper, chilli powder, garam masala and breadcrumbs. Next, shape the cutlets and let them cool in the refrigerator for about an hour. Shallow fry till crisp on both sides. Serve with a side of lettuce and tomatoes or as a burger with your favourite spread.