Moong sprouts salad is a delicious, high protein, nutritious salad made with sprouted mung bean (whole green gram), fresh veggies like cucumber, tomato, onion & lemon etc. This fibre rich salad is vegan, gluten free, zero oil and perfect for breakfast or quick meal.
In this post, I have first shared the way to sprout moong beans at home and then make salad using it. If you are using store bought sprouts, then you can directly jump to salad recipe part.
Though salads are generally served as side dish but this colorful, crunchy, juicy lentil sprouts salad is so satisfying, wholesome & filling that it can even be consumed as breakfast, snack or lunch.
Apart from salads, there are many recipes we can use moong sprouts in such as cheela (crepes), stir fried vegetables, soups, dosa, savory pancakes, noodles (like Pad Thai, Khow Suey etc), pakora, fritters, cutlets like quinoa patties, raita or in filling for sandwich or wraps.
The mung sprouts salad recipe shared here is-
- Nut free
- Dairy free
- Protein packed
- Zero fat (No oil used)
- Healthy recipe for weight loss
Sprouted Moong Salad Ingredients:
Mung Beans: Also known as sabut moong dal, hari mung, green gram, whole green lentils etc, they are considered to be nutritious as they are high in protein, fibre, iron etc. Sprouting the beans increases the bio-availability of nutrients and makes them more digestible.
Vegetables: You can add any fresh seasonal vegetables of your choice like cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, onion, capsicum, coloured bell peppers, jalapeño, boiled potatoes, sweet corn kernels, baby spinach or broccoli. For additional flavour, you can even incorporate freshly grated coconut in it.
Raisins: Amidst all the savory flavours, raisins add a touch of sweetness to salad. You can use golden raisins, black raisins, pomegranate or even dried cranberries or blueberries.
Seasoning: The salad is seasoned with salt, freshly ground black pepper, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala (Indian spice mix). You can adjust their quantities as per your taste or add other spices like red chilli powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder or cayenne pepper powder.
Lemon & Herbs: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds tanginess to the salad and herbs like cilantro (or coriander), mint, parsley, celery, spring onion greens or chives add fresh earthy flavour. You can add any herbs of your choice.
Optional ingredients: For adding crunchy texture, you can add toasted peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds or bread croutons. To make the salad even more protein packed, some cubed paneer or crumbled feta can be added.
How to sprout moong beans at home?
The green lentils can be sprouted in many ways but I have shared two methods mentioned below. You can choose either of them as per your convenience. These methods can even be used to sprout brown chickpeas (kala chana)-
- Method I: Using a muslin cloth or cheesecloth (explained in written recipe with images)
- Method II: Using a steel container (with holes) shown in youtube video. This box is commonly sold in shops or online by the name ‘coriander box’.
The main ingredient of this salad is sprouted moong dal. You can either have them raw or cook them for just few minutes to slightly soften them. I would personally recommend to cook them by boiling or steaming especially if you are trying sprouts for first time or making this salad for kids as raw sprouts can sometimes be difficult to digest.
Youtube Video:
More moong dal recipes you might like to try:
- Moong Dal Idli
- Sookhi Moong Dal
- Yellow Moong Dal Toast
- Green Moong Dal Cheela (Crepes)
- Air fryer Moong Pakora (Lentil Fritters)
Ingredients: (Serves 2 to 3)
- Sabut Mung (Whole Green Gram)*- 1/2 cup
- Cucumber (chopped)- 1/2 cup
- Onion (chopped)- 1 small
- Tomato (chopped)- 1 small
- Bell Peppers (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Boiled potato (diced)- 1/4 cup
- Green chilli (deseeded & finely chopped)- 1 (optional)
- Raisins- 2 tbsp
- Lemon Juice- 2 to 3 tsp
- Black Pepper (ground)- 1/4 tsp (to taste)
- Roasted Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
- Chaat Masala- 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Salt- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Cilantro / Coriander (chopped)- 3 to 4 tbsp
(*or you can take 2 cups of sprouted mung beans)
Directions:
Step 1:
Wash mung beans 2-3 times well under running water until the water runs clear. Add around 2 cups of water and soak it for at least 8-10 hours (or overnight). You can leave the bowl as it is or cover it partially. (If you are using store bought sprouts then directly jump to step 5)
Step 2:
After soaking, you will notice how the moong beans swell in size and begin to sprout. Drain them over a colander and discard the water in which they were soaked. Rinse well once again (washing repeatedly prevents the beans from developing odour).
Step 3:
Take a muslin or cotton cloth. Rinse and squeeze it well to remove any excess moisture. We want it to be moist but not dripping wet. Transfer the soaked beans on it and wrap to make a tight bundle. Transfer it to a bowl and keep in a shaded corner of kitchen (can also keep it in microwave oven without turning it on). Leave like this for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 4:
After 8-10 hours, moong beans will sprout as shown in image below.
Sprinkle some water on them. Wrap again and sprinkle water on the muslin cloth (on the base of bundle as shown below in image). Let them rest for 6-8 hours more.
Step 5:
Moong beans will completely sprout as shown in image below. Wash them well once again (with drinking water) and use them in salads or curries. You can boil, blanch or steam them before using.
If you want to use them later, then no need to rinse. Transfer them directly in an airtight container using clean spoon and store in fridge for 1-2 days. Wash them when you are ready to use them.
If you are not consuming sprouts immediately or using store bought sprouts, it is better to boil or steam them before consuming (as the uncooked beans can develop bacteria during resting phase). Below I am showing the method of steaming the sprouts.
Step 6:
Heat water in a large pot and place steamer in it. Wash the sprouts well and transfer them in this steamer basket. Cover with a lid and steam for 2-3 minutes till they cook to the desired consistency (adjust time depending if you want them crunchy or soft).
Step 7:
Once the sprouts are steamed, let them cool down completely. Add them to a mixing bowl with chopped veggies, herbs, seasoning and lemon juice. Toss gently.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or mint. Delicious healthy sprouts salad is ready to serve.
Though salad tastes best when freshly made but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for 1-2 days.
If you are packing salad for lunch or breakfast later, then mix all ingredients except salt and chaat masala (as vegetables start releasing moisture on coming in contact with salt). Add them when you are about to have the salad.
Tips:
- Avoid touching sprouts with bare hands while transferring in a box or container as they can get contaminated.
- Always consume the sprouts within 1-2 days as they start to get bitter later.
- Washing the mung beans in between the sprouting is necessary as it prevents the formation of odour.
- The sprouting time can vary depending on the outside temperature and humidity. Sometime the sprouting may complete in 2 days or it may take upto 3 days in colder climate.
- In summer, you may have to sprinkle water every 3-4 hours on muslin cloth during sprouting process to prevent mung beans from drying.
More salad recipes:
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(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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