FOOD AND TRAVEL

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sprouted Mung Bean Salad with Spicy Clementine Dressing

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I'm such a winter person. Winter means hot spicy comfort food, standing near the stove while cooking a pot full of soup, hot chocolate every morning, lying on the bed all day with a warm cozy blanket and not worrying about what to wear at work (everything can hide behind a coat including the not so in place curves). Yes its all about eating, hiding curves and sleeping. Not very ideal I see. 


Of course because its all God's big plan, M has to be a summer person. He catches cold even before winter has had a chance to declare its presence. He can't stand being house arrested doing nothing, doesn't care much for soups and hates wearing winter clothes. He misses being outdoors working out and playing sports. Yeah, ideal. 

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But when the temperature went as low as -1 C without any warning couple of days ago, I wanted to switch back to summer too. Winter in Kuwait is generally moderately cold between 1- 15 C which I understand is almost spring in some part of the world!

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Since I can't bring summer just yet, a colorful salad certainly brings a little sunshine on a grey day. This salad is based on a very basic Indian sprouted mung bean salad which uses a simple lemon juice dressing. But since clementine and I are married now, I use it in everything that may or may not require citrus. Salads for me need to have a little sweetness and I'm guilty of adding a touch of sugar or fruit to almost any salad I make but using sweet clementine adds a natural sweetness which is so satisfying and balances the flavors.

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Sprouted mung beans are more nutritious than the whole dried bean. In the process of sprouting the vitamins, proteins and minerals increase substantially with corresponding decrease in calories and carbohydrate content. It also breaks the complex compounds into simple form, making it available to be eaten raw. The sprout itself has minerals and vitamin which the seed won't have like Vitamin C. Though many lentils can be sprouted,  mung beans are easiest to digest because of its natural composition.


Sprouted Mung Bean Salad with Spicy Clementine Dressing
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1/2 cup sprouted mung beans*
1 granny smith apple, finely cubed
1 tomato, finely cubed
1 clementine
1/2 red onion finely chopped (about 1/8 cup)
1/8 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped

For dressing

1/8 cup clementine juice (or adjust to how you like your salad)
1 green chilly, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Note

* You can also use boiled whole mung beans

Method

Mix all the ingredients for salad. This is a very basic recipe and you can easily add other ingredients like shredded beetroot, cucumber, radishes etc to the recipe. You can also adjust the amount of ingredients as per your liking and availability.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients and drizzle over the salad when ready to serve. 
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33 comments

  1. So healthy, fresh and fabulous! I love your textured clicks.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. oh, i am so glad you blogged this, K, i am missing all the vibrant colours of summer. love the photos. x s

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  3. Love the textures in these snapshots!

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  4. So, yeah... I need to get my hands on some mung beans right away.

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  5. Definitely healthy and fresh. I love this salad. Did you sprout the mung means? So easy to do. Have a wonderful day.

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    1. Glad you like it. I generally sprout my own beans but this time its from the store (Did I mention I'm too lazy to get out of my blanket these days ;))

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    2. Not to gloat but yesterday, here in Florida, I had on shorts and a tank top. I even have cauliflower growing in my garden. Stay warm under those blankets, hope it warms up soon.

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    3. Okay so tell me how you sprout your mung beans, I want to try this. You know I'm a sprouts kind of girl!

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    4. Suzi - Shorts and tank top?!!

      Sylvie- Yes I do. And even then I'm less of a hippy than you ;-) We love sprouted mung beans, they are awesome!

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  6. The photos are amazing! Just looking at that salad makes me feel healthier.

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  7. Love this salad!! We generally make it with lime juice while all the other ingredients are finely chopped...I can have it for a meal :-)

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  8. So refreshing!! I like that dressing. Not sure about the sprouts because I am not into them much! Never mind, I am sure it will taste good with cabbage :>

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    1. Anh do you like boiled whole mung beans? Because you can use that instead of sprouted like my mom does

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  9. so colourful! i love the way citrus makes any dish vibrant

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  10. I love the mix of textures and flavours. So refreshing and nourishing. Your photos capture the quiet richness of the salad. I love it!

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  11. Yes, that is one tasty salad! I make this too but your presentation, esp. first photograph is too good! Have you used some texture?

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    1. Thanks Harini. That's certainly not the way I eat it though, it has to be all finely chopped :) Yes, I tried texture in this post

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  12. I sprouted beans buy mistake once! Had no clue what to do with it so thanks for the idea!

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  13. I sprouted beans buy mistake once! Had no clue what to do with it so thanks for the idea!

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  14. I love this salad -- so fresh, vibrant and perfect for when we are all longing for summer :D

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  15. I love salads with mung bean. I sprout them and do a tadka with spices and serve it warm.

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  16. Kulsum, those sprouted mung beans are always reminded me of sambal for rawon (dark beef soup) and my science class at junior high. To get those, I have to sprout the mung beans here. Totally different while I was in Indonesia, just bought them from the market :))

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    1. Love how ingredients carry so much memories with them :-) the dark beef soups sounds incredible by the way

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  17. Kulsum, this is such a pretty and beautiful salad and mung beans are so versatile. Your stories brought back good memories for me from India. Thanks!

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  18. Very pretty post. I also like your use of textures. I am with you Kulsum...a winter gal all the way!

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  19. I have regular dried mung beans...can I sprout those? Is there any benefit to do so?

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    1. Hi Marla - great question I should have added it to the post anyway - sprouted mung beans are considered more nutritious than the whole dried ones. In the process of sprouting, the vitamins, minerals and protein increase substantially with corresponding decrease in calories and carbohydrate content. Sprouting breaks the complex compounds into simple form which also lets us eat it raw. Also the sprout itself has minerals and vitamins which the seed won't have like Vitamin C. Though many lentils can be sprouted, mung bean are one which we often eat because of it natural composition, its the easiest to digest. So yeah, sprouts are wonderful specially when you sprout your own!

      As for how, it starts with soaking the dried mung beans in cold water overnight. Then you drain them into a colander covered with cheesecloth and place it in warm, dark place of your kitchen. Drain it every 7-8 hours for next 3-4 days till you get the sprouts! Sounds labor some but promise its not :-)

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    2. Not to forgot, you can use boiled whole dried beans too. Works equally well.

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  20. Beautiful!!!
    Such healthy and fresh salad.
    Awesome pictures....

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  21. love that first picture.. and sprouted mung beans with some clementines.. perfect!

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  22. It's interesting, but I like more the chocolate clementine mousse...bye :)

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