Indian Style Mung Beans: Sprouted Mung Usal - Vegetarian Recipe

Following yesterday's post about health benefits of mung beans, today I'm sharing information about the sprouting method and also a recipe that was given to me by a friend of mine that is originally from India.

Sprouting mung beans
Although sprouting can seem intimidating to some, it is really an easy process.  

1. Wash Mung Beans well and soak them in water overnight
2. Drain all of the water from the Mung Beans.
3. Place soaked Mung Beans in a thin tea towel and twist the sides of the cloth together.
4. Leave the Mung Beans for 2 days checking on them occasionally, at room temperature, in a dark place



Soaking mung beans



Mung beans after soaking for 12 hours



Mung beans after soaking for 12 hours

Ready for sprouting



Sprouted mung beans after 48 hours

Sprouted Mung Usal (Moong Usal)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of sprouted mung beans, drained
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 
• Fresh ginger (optional), grated
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red capsicum (that wasn't in my friend's recipe actually, but I thought it would bring a little bit of colour to the dish), finely diced - can be replaced by tomatoes
• Half tsp of turmeric powder
• Half tsp of ground coriander
• Half tsp of ground cumin
• Salt
• Fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Method 

1. Boil mung beans in water for about 15 minutes
2. Heat up 2 tsp of olive oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and grated ginger
3. Fry for 3 or 4 minutes or until brown
4. Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder
5. Saute for half a minute
6. Add the already cooked mung beans and a cup of water (you can use the water you've boiled to mung beans in)
7. Add salt to taste
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the beans are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed.

Bon Appetit!

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