Mung Bean Curry from Mira Manek's Saffron Soul
This warming, homely and hearty curry is bursting as much with flavour as it is with goodness. It is great for winter evenings, giving the body a hit of protein and fuel. The fresh ginger and turmeric not only brings out the flavour, but also adds a layer of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.I used split mung beans and reduced the quantity to 150 grams for two and served with roti rather than rice. As I did not have fresh turmeric, I added two extra teaspoons of powdered turmeric instead.
Ingredients
Brown Rice
- 200 g brown rice
- 1 litre water
Mung Beans
- 200 g mung beans
- 1 litre water
Curry
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds optional
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 10 to 12 fresh curry leaves
- 2 dried red chillies optional
- 2 onions finely chopped
- Garlic
- 1 handful coriander cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt or sea salt
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon passata or tomato puree
- 1/2 lime, juiced
Ginger, Chilli and Turmeric Paste
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon jaggery or coconutsugar
To service
- Sliced cucumber, carrots and radishes, lime wedges and chillies
Instructions
- Place the mung beans and measured water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes or until the mung beans are soft.
- Meanwhile, make the base mixture of the curry. Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat, then add the mustard and cumin seeds and the fenugreek seeds, if using. Once the mustard seeds are popping, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and dried red chillies, if using, then immediately add the onions.
- Cook the onions over a medium heat until slightly browned, then add the Garlic, Ginger, Chilli & Turmeric Paste, ground turmeric, cumin and coriander, salt and jaggery. Stir together for 1 minute and then add the coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped tomatoes and passata.
- Add the mung beans, once cooked, and the cooking water, to the curry base. Mix together and add a little more water if needed to create a soup-like consistency. Leave to simmer over a low heat for around 10 minutes, then squeeze in the lime and serve with the brown rice, sliced vegetables, lime wedges and chillies.
Notes
Recipe extracted from Saffron Soul by Mira Manek, published by Jacqui Small, an imprint of The Quarto Group
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