Sprouted Bengal Gram or Other Beans/Peas Stir-Fried
Ankurit Kala Chana, Mung Dal Sookhe Matar, Stir-fried
Mamta Gupta
This is a simple snack that my late mum used to make for breakfast, with germinated Mung beans and/or Bengal gram (kala chana). You can make it with any other type of sprouted seeds also. For additional flavour, you can add tomatoes, ginger, onion, green chilli etc. If you like your food hot, you can use chaat masala, in place of salt and pepper. Sprouted beans are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals.
For Indian dishes, the germ is kept quite small, unlike in Chinese cuisine.
Serves 4 as a snack.
Ingredients
1 cup each of germinated Kala Chana and Mung Beans or other sprouted beans (total 2 cups)
2 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
A small pinch of asafoetida powder
Salt to taste*
Freshly ground black pepper to taste*
1 lemon
Optional additions-any or all of these
1 small onion thinly sliced or chopped
1 small tomatoes, chopped
1 green chilli, finely sliced
A handful of roasted peanuts
* In place of salt and pepper, you can add 1 1/2 tsp. germinated Kala Chana and Mung Beans or sprouted peas, which can be bought ready-made from Indian grocers
Instructions
Heat oil in a pan or karahi. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida powder.
As soon as seeds splutter, add sprouted beans (if adding chopped onions, ginger and green chillies, add them all together with the beans), salt and pepper/chat masala and stir fry until just heated through, no more. The beans should be al dente, not over cooked. Also, sprouts have heat liable vitamins that are destroyed if overcooked.
Turn heat off.
Serve hot as a snack.
You can garnish it with coriander leaves.
Notes
You can use mustard seeds and a few curry leaves for tarka, instead of cumin seeds and asafoetida.