Easy, nutritious and colorful moong sprouts salad, is very quick to make and packed with healthy protein, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins. It can be enjoyed as a mid day snack or a side dish with dinner or lunch. It is also Vegan and gluten free.
After the sprouting process, lentils or legumes become more nutritious and easily digestible. They are low in calories, high in protein and vitamins and full of antioxidants.
This salad can be made with raw sprouted moon beans, however, I like to give it a twist by boiling the sprouts a little so they are soft but not mushy and then a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves is poured over the sprouts. The tempering enhances the flavour so much , and this way I can eat a big bowl of salad as the main meal in lunch or dinner. I like to have only salad for my lunch/dinner sometimes and this moong sprout salad is very wholesome and keep you satiated for long .
What will you need :
For moong sprouts salad, I use moong sprouts with onion , tomatoes , cucumber , green coriander , carrots, pomegranate, lime juice and roasted peanuts for an extra crunch. For tempering I use mustard seeds and asfoetida with curry leaves. This salad is totally customisable and you can eat raw sprouts if you prefer, and add /omit any ingredient you like/or don’t like. It is always advisable to boil/steam sprouts if you are buying from market to avoid any bacterial infection.
You can use other sprouts too like moth sprouts or chana sprouts as per your taste.
How to make sprouts:
- Rinse the moong beans with cold water and soak in filtered water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- In morning, drain the water using a colander and place the moong beans in a breathable, thin piece of cloth like cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
- Bring all the corners together and tie in a loose knot. Put it in a bowl and cover it partially.
- Place it in a warm and dark spot. After 12 hours you will see small sprouts. If you want longer sprouts, keep it for some extra hours and sprinkle some water if they look dry.
Few tips :
- If the moong beans are very old, they don’t sprout well so try to get fresh moong beans.
- Sprouts can become bitter if they are exposed to bright light during sprouting process so keep the moong beans in dark place during sprouting.
- If you want to store the sprouts for longer than 24 hours , you must always cook them before eating as they might get spoiled and can cause stomach infections.
