Indian Style Spicy Mung Beans (Moong Dal)

I realized just the other day that I've only once put up a recipe for mung beans since I started this blog, a strange thing since this small, beautiful gold-green legume is one of my favourites. Native to India, it seemed appropriate then to come up with an Indian style spicy mung bean dish. Although Indians usually eat mung beans split into dals, I like to cook them whole in a dry texture finish so that the plump, tender beans stand out by themselves… and besides, they take no longer to cook than the split version anyway. Serve with vegetables, an Indian rice dish such as Simple Pulao Rice or Piquant Lemon Rice and an Indian flatbread for a complete and satisfying meal.

Indian Style Spicy Mung Beans (Moong Dal)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on June 15, 2007 A simple, colorful and spicy Indian curry featuring mung beans. Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup whole dry mung beans 2 teaspoons ghee or a combination of butter and oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1-2 teaspoons turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 medium onion, finely sliced 1-inch piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped 3-4 jalapenos green chilies, finely chopped 1 large tomato, diced 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped Instructions: Rinse the mung beans under cold running water and place in a bowl. Cover with several inches of cold water and soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Heat the ghee or butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and stir and fry for a minute or two. Next add the ground spices, stir for about 15 seconds, and then add the onion, ginger and green chillies to the pan. Fry until the onion wilts and begins to brown. Add the mung beans and and 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered until the beans are just tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if necessary just to keep the beans covered. Now add the tomato, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the beans are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Taste for seasoning, then stir in the parsley near the end of the cooking time. Serve hot with fresh cooked rice or Indian flatbreads. Makes 4 servings