How to make healthy vegan Indian Sprouted Mung Bean Salad.
This aromatic vegetarian Indian Salad recipe is a healthy side dish full of flavour and nutritious ingredients.
Our quick & easy Sprouted Mung Bean Salad recipe features flavourful ingredients like dried mung beans, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, onion, chili, garlic, ginger, turmeric, tomato, cilantro and coconut.
This homemade mung bean dish is vegan, vegetarian, egg free, dairy free and gluten free. Enjoy it as a light lunch all on its own, or at dinner alongside your favourite Indian entree.
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What Are Mung Beans?
The mung bean, alternatively known as the green gram, maash, moong, monggo, or munggo, is a plant species in the legume family. The mung bean is mainly cultivated in East, Southeast and South Asia. It is used as an ingredient in both savoury and sweet dishes.
Mung beans in some regional cuisines of India are stripped of their outer coats to make mung dal. In Bangladesh and West Bengal the stripped and split bean is used to make a soup-like dal known as moog dal.
Mung beans can be germinated by leaving them in water for four hours of daytime light and spending the rest of the day in the dark.
Sprouting increases mung beans’ flavonoid and vitamin C contents up to 7 and 24 times. In turn, this boosts their antioxidant properties. Some research links these sprouts to potential anticancer benefits by fighting free radical damage.
Travel to India by Cooking Vegan Mung Bean Salad at Home
I love traveling to Asia.
My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, The Maldives and India.
I spent over a month traveling through India. I started in the capital, eating my way through the bustling markets and fine dining restaurants in Delhi. I then embarked on a magical weekend getaway to awe-inspiring Taj Mahal in Agra. In India’s north you’ll find plenty of barbecue and wheat based side dishes like scorched naan bread.
For the second half of my Indian adventure I explored the southern state of Kerala. The south is famous for its seafood, coconut, tropical fruits, and rice based side dishes like crispy dosa and Thakkali Biryani. The colonial capital of Cochin was formerly run by the Portuguese. It’s also one of the only places in India you can find beef on a menu.
After enjoying a jaunt to the Maldives my India trip came to a close in the Bollywood capital, bustling and cosmopolitan Mumbai. The city is famous for its specialty street foods and fine dining restaurants at opulent luxury hotels. The Taj Mahal Palace in particular serves one of the world’s most famous Afternoon Teas.
What I found most fascinating are India’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the hyper-local cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each city in India had its own local speciality.
After you’ve traveled to India, return home to prepare an authentic and fragrant feast for friends and family featuring this flavourful Sprouted Mung Bean Salad recipe!
Where To Eat Sprouted Mung Bean Salad
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to local Indian restaurants that serve traditionalSprouted Mung Bean Salad.
Haven’t traveled to India before? It may be helpful to first sample the healthy salad at a local Indian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can assess the desired spicy heat level and ideal garnishes before trying to make the rice dish at home.
In Toronto, popular Indian restaurants that may serveSprouted Mung Bean Salad include Udupi Palace, Lahore Tikka House and Kothur Indian Cuisine.
My Family LovesSprouted Mung Bean Salad
I’ll never forget my first experience eating Sprouted Mung Bean Salad.
I woke up at a luxury hotel in Cochin, the capital of the southern state of Kerala, to find a decadent breakfast buffet. I felt like I had arrived in a different country as the dishes in Southern India are unique to what you’d find in northern city’s like Agra and Delhi.
The waiter asked me if I’d like to try a local breakfast speciality, crispy dosa served with a selection of chutneys. I remember sipping bitter darjeeling tea while dipping dosa into spicy chutney. I experienced an unforgettable explosion of flavours in my mouth as hot tea muddled with the flavours of spiced chutney. A wonderful way to wake up to the world!
The waiter saw that I loved the dosa and moments later brought over a small bowl ofSprouted Mung Bean Salad, an eye catching legume dish. After devouring the small bowl in a matter of seconds I realized I was forever in love with crunchy sprouted mung beans.
After traveling throughout India and eating at some of the world’s best Indian restaurants I was excited to share my love for Mung Bean Salad with family in Toronto.
I’ve hosted many Indian-themed feasts, showcasing dishes from Delhi to Bengal via fragrant curries, fresh salads and hearty soups.
I served a creamy Chicken Shahi Korma with crunchy Indian Onion Salad for an al fresco lunch in the spring. While in the summer at the cottage in Muskoka we enjoyed a vegetarian feast featuring Shahi Paneer and Indian Chickpea Crepes.
When I finally introduced my parents toSprouted Mung Bean Salad their eyes bulged with glee. I knew they’d both love the healthy salad because it featured crunchy beans, sweet tomatoes and fragrant Indian spices. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a creamy curry.
If you’ve traveled to India on holiday there is no better way to share your adventure at home with family and friends at home then by serving our homemadeSprouted Mung Bean Salad recipe.
Health Benefits
Our healthySprouted Mung Bean Salad recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Beans are rich in cancer-fighting vitamin C, energy-boosting B vitamins, and gut-healthy fibre.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.
The star component of turmeric is curcumin, a potent phytochemical that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is often prescribed in Indian Ayurvedic medicine to help relieve arthritis, aid digestion and inhibit the growth of cancers.
A rich source of blood-building iron, cumin may also help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. It is also traditionally used as a digestive aid.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Coconut is rich in fibre and may also offer a number of benefits including improved heart healthy and digestion. It is high in calories and sautéed fat so be sure to eat in moderation.
Mung Bean Salad Cooking Tips
If it’s your first time cooking restaurant-styleSprouted Mung Bean Salad at home be sure to review our detailed step-by-step recipe below. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you started.
- We suggest using a large nonstick skillet when preparing this easy Indian recipe.
- Purchase dried mung beans online or at your local bulk food store or Asian supermarket.
- If you can’t find red chilies you can substitute for green serrano chilies. If you don’t like spicy food remove the seeds from the chilies before slicing and adding them to the pot. Or leave them out entirely.
- We’ve used a Spanish cooking onion in this recipe but you could substitute for red onion or shallots.
- We prefer using coconut chips to garnish the salad but you could also sprinkle shredded coconut.
- We love serving this salad with tomato chutney or creamy raita.
What To Serve withSprouted Mung Bean Salad
Vegan Sprouted Mung Bean Salad is one of our favourite side dishes to serve from India. The healthy vegetarian recipe can be served as a light lunch all on its own or as a side dish at dinner.
If you’re hosting a large Indian-themed dinner party buffet you may want to also like to include fresh salads, soups, and a seafood or chicken curry.
Some of our favourite Indian dishes include:
- Pitod Ki Sabji Vegetarian Indian Chickpea Dumplings
- Vegetarian Malai Kofta
- Vegetarian Shahi Paneer
- Vegan One Pot Indian Thakkali Tomato Biryani
- Chanachur Chivda Bombay Mixture Namkeen
- Parippu Vada Recipe With Coconut Chutney
- Chingri Malai Curry: Creamy Bengali Coconut Prawns
- Pepper Milagu Rasam Vegan South Indian Soup
- Vegetarian Indian Paneer Soup
- Chicken Manchow Soup
- Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake
- Spicy Tikka Masala Turkey Barley Soup
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Best Vegan IndianSprouted Mung Bean Salad Recipe
Sprouted Mung Bean Salad
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
- Wok
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 100 g Mung Beans
- 4 tsp Canola Oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Medium Spanish Onion finely chopped
- 1 Red Chili chopped
- 1/2 tsp Garlic grated
- 1/2 tsp Ginger grated
- 1/4 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Medium Tomato finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Cilantro Leaves chopped
- 2 tbsp Coconut Chips
Instructions
- Place mung beans in a large bowl and pour over an excess of cool water. Leave to soak overnight.
- Drain the beans and cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a dark, warm place for 24 hours. Tiny shoots shoot emerge which indicates they have sprouted properly.
- When ready to cook, set a wok over medium heat. Pour in the oil. When it's hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop for 15 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and stir fry for another 15 seconds, then add the onion. Saute the onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Mix in the chili, garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes while stirring. Stir in the chili powder, turmeric and salt, then add the tomato and stir for one minute.
- Add the mung beans and cilantro and coat in spice paste. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Spoon the salad into a serving dish and garnish with coconut.
Nutrition
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