Kollu, kulthi in Hindi and gahat in Uttarakhand, is horse gram, a hardy pulse grown on poor, dry land across South India where few other crops survive. It was fed to horses, which gave it its English name. Tamil homes cook it into kollu rasam and chutney, Maharashtra into kulith pithla, and Uttarakhand into gahat dal. Folk practice holds it good for kidney stones and weight loss.
- Botanical name
- Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Tamil
- Kollu
- Hindi
- Kulthi
- Sanskrit
- Kulattha
- Parts used
- Seed
- Habit
- Hardy dry-field pulse with small, hard brown seeds
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Kollu
It is a trailing or twining, hairy annual with three oval leaflets per leaf.
Small pale yellow pea-flowers grow in the leaf axils.
The pods are flat, slightly curved and hairy, with a short beak.
The seeds are small, flattened and hard, brown, red, black or speckled.
Moth bean has narrow, deeply cut leaflets.
Traditional use of Kollu
Kitchen
Kollu rasam and kollu thuvaiyal are Tamil winter dishes.
Tamil food practice
Kitchen
Kulith pithla, horse gram flour cooked with spices, is a Konkan and Marathi dish.
Marathi food practice
Farming
Horse gram is sown on poor land late in the season, often as the last crop of the year.
South Indian farm practice
Modern notes on Kollu
The seeds are rich in protein, fibre, iron and calcium.
They are very hard and need long soaking or pressure-cooking.
Laboratory studies on extracts have looked at effects on kidney stone crystals, but human evidence is limited.
Kollu safety
Soak and cook horse gram thoroughly. People with gout or advised to limit purines should eat it in moderation.
Ecology and sourcing
It was domesticated in India and grows wild in dry hills of the Deccan.
It tolerates drought, heat and poor soil.
It fixes nitrogen.
Related plants
Also in Fabaceae
Questions about Kollu
Why is Kollu called horse gram?
It was traditionally fed to horses.
What is kollu rasam?
A peppery soup made with horse gram.
Does Kollu help kidney stones?
That is folk belief; evidence is limited.
How long should Kollu be soaked?
Overnight, then pressure-cooked.
What is gahat?
The Uttarakhand name for horse gram.
Sources
- Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q1899077 (Macrotyloma uniflorum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.