Sprouted Moong Salad

A deliciously crunchy and nutritious salad to pair with any Indian meal and beyond. This salad is makes a easy lunch or snack to amp up the vegetable portion while still simple to make.

The cornerstone of this salad is moong sprout. They’re available in many Indian stores or health food stores, but making them at home is reasonably easy when you follow a few steps. I made this salad with pomegranate arils but any fresh seasonal fruit will add a little sweetness to the salad. You don’t need a lot of fruit just enough to give it a contrasting flavor. Choose chopped strawberries, mango, blueberries, grapes or any fruit you like avoiding soft fruits like banana.

How To Sprout Moong Beans

• Moong sprouts can easily be made at home. I have seen hem in some health food stores or Indian markets.
• To sprout at home-Gently wash ½ a cup raw moong beans in 3 cups of water for 6 hours.
• Drain, spread the sprouts on a flat baking sheet or a large platter or bowl. Pour or spray some water over the moong beans just enough to keep them moist, cover with a damp towel, and set aside in a warm place in your kitchen or turned OFF oven for about a day. Next day the beans are plump and well hydrated and maybe a little white tail may appear.
• Check regularly– at least twice. I like to rinse and drain the beans every morning so they remain hydrated. if the beans look dry, spray some of water and set them back to spout covered with a clean damp towel. Within a day or two, the beans will begin to have little tails. Leave the beans in a warm place until they have all sprouted. In the summer months it takes about 2 days and cooler months up to 4 days.
• Change the towel if needed, and gently rinse the beans once a day to prevent mold and to keep the beans hydrated.
• You’ll end up with about 3 cups of sprouts with ½ cup raw moong beans.
• To cook the sprouts– place the spouts in a pot and cover them with water with a 2-inches over the top. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes max. Drain and refrigerate. You may end up with more sprouts than what the recipe calls for. They can be added to other salads, rice pilafs or just eaten with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt. 
• NOTE: I have not sprouted moong beans Asian style, I usually don’t go beyond 4 days to sprout, I never had luck with completely sprouted beans and resort to store bought for Asian recipes.
• Health Benefits- sprout is live food, sprouting makes the nutrients more bioavailable than raw or cooked beans, the nutrients are perhaps the same and some more, but with more bioavailability our body absorbs more nutrients than cooked beans.