Moong Gathi (curried sprouted green Moong or green gram)

Sprouting beans before consumption not only increases the nutritive values but decreases calories.  In traditional Goan Saraswat cooking the use of sprouted beans is often seen.  This particular recipe showcases the heart of Goan vegetarian cooking, using ingredients like coconut, jaggery and tamarind/kokum or lime juice.  It is a pure dish without onions or garlic and is prepared on festive occasions like Ganesh. This dish is also served in temples.

Sprouting your own beans is a nice experiment and gives you a fresh, healthy option.  To grow your own sprouts refer to my recipe for Sprouted Moong Bean salad. ( http://goankhana.blogspot.ca/2016/08/sprouted-mung-bean-salad.html )

As with all recipes you can tweak them to suit your tastes.  I use lime juice instead of tamarind or kokum because it does not discolor the curry .  This recipe also includes cashews which are a favorite addition in my family, but could easily be omitted.

Ingredients

    1 ½ cups sprouted mung seeds or green gram

    ½ teaspoon ground clove

    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    ½ teaspoon black pepper

    2 teaspoons ground coriander

    1/2 cup grated coconut ( fresh or desiccated or frozen)

    1 tablespoon olive oil or other vegetable oil

    1 pinch asafoetida

    1/2 tsp mustard seeds

    1 sprig  curry leaves ( about 8- 10 leaves)

    1 red dried chilly

    1/2 tsp turmeric powder

    1 teaspoon jaggery or brown sugar

    Juice of half a lime

    1/2 cup coconut milk

    ¼ cup cashew nuts (unsalted and not roasted)

   1 teaspoon  salt or to taste

Method

    Heat a dry  pan on the stove.  Reduce the heat.  Add the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, and  coriander powders and dry roast while constantly stirring until the spices start to smell and change color.  Do not burn. The process is very quick.   Remove the spices and put the coconut in the same pan.  Roast till lightly browned.  

Put everything in a blender with ½ cup of water and blend till ground and and mixed.

Heat the oil in a pot.  When the oil is hot add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and the red chilly and the asafoetida

As soon as the seeds begin to splutter, add the sprouted gram, turmeric powder and 1 1/2 cups of water .  Cook for about 10 minutes until the sprouted  beans are cooked.  I do not like my beans too soft.

 Now add the coconut-spice paste, the jaggery or brown sugar, lime juice and salt and cook for about 5 minutes.

 Add the coconut milk and cashew nuts last and cook through for another 2 minutes.  Take off the stove and enjoy.