mung bean masala

MUNG BEAN MASALA

Curry night with all the trimming ready for the weekend. 

A deliciously warming and soothing curry made using mung beans which are super high in plant protein, fragrant rice and a sweet yogurt salad.  This combo takes you all the way to flavour town. Perfect dish to impress your mates, but also really healthy. 

Serves 4

MUNG BEAN MASALA

• 200g dry mung beans (1 cup)

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• ½  teaspoon mustard seeds

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• 10 curry leaves

• 1 onion (sliced)

• ½ teaspoon asafoetida (optional)

• 4 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 thumb of ginger (minced)

• 1 red chilli (optional)

• ½ teaspoon fenugreek powder (optional)

• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• ½ teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree (optional)

• fresh coriander (add stalks, keeping leafy heads for garnish)

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes (optional)

• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

• 1 tin coconut milk

• 100g spinach

• himalayan salt

• ½ lime (juice)

FRAGRANT RICE

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 2 cardamom pods

• good pinch himalayan salt

• ½ measured cup basmati rice

• 2 cups boiling water

YOGHURT SALAD

• ½ cucumber (finely chopped)

• 1 date (deseeded and chopped)

• 1 spring onion (finely chopped)

• ½ chilli (sliced)

• ½ thumb ginger (finely sliced)

• handful coriander (finely chopped)

• 3 heaped tablespoons coconut yoghurt

• 1 teaspoon tamarind

• himalayan salt

• ½ lime (juice)

GARNISHES

• small handful chopped fresh coriander

• thumb size piece ginger (finely chopped)

TIP

In this recipe we will be using the absorption method to cook the rice. 

1 mug of rice feeds four people. You need 1 ½ mugs of water to 1 mug of rice. 

METHOD

Add the mung beans and water to a medium sized saucepan. Bring water to a boil then drop to a low simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises. 

For the curry start by melting 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a large sided pan on medium heat. Once the coconut oil has melted add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to pop add the sliced onion, keep stirring throughout.

Once the onion has caramelised add asafoetida, garlic, ginger, red chilli and keep stirring.

After a few minutes add fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, stir together to combine all of the flavours. Quickly add coriander stalks along with tomato puree. Cook out the puree for a couple minutes. Add tinned tomatoes, coconut milk and coconut sugar and give it a good mix. Adjust and add seasoning and keep on a low simmer.

Once the mung beans are done, sieve them off and add to the curry pan, keeping the cooking liquor back to add to the curry. Add the liquor to keep loosening the curry. Go with a wet thick soup like consistency. Simmer this for 15 minutes until rice is cooked and your salad is prepared.

Give the rice a good wash in a sieve with cold water to remove the starch. Melt coconut oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamom pods. Let the spices take on some heat for 30 seconds before adding salt and rice. Give it a good stir. Add cold water, bring it to a quick rolling boil for about 30 seconds then pop a lid on and drop to a medium heat. Don’t take the lid off, keep it on until you can see holes

are forming in the rice, once you see that and the water looks gone. Take it off the heat. Rice will take about 8 minutes. Please follow packet cooking instructions.

Meanwhile prepare your yoghurt salad. Simply add all of your ingredients to a bowl and mix well. 

To serve, spoon the rice into a small bowl, pat it down, then flip it on the plate. Spoon on some of your mung bean masala, adding a generous dollop of your yoghurt salad.

Garnish with sliced fresh ginger and coriander leaves.