I made this last weekend for a relaxed lunch with family and friends. It was served with fermented Indian dosas, spicy chickpea sambar, carrot palya and a bowl of sliced avocados with arugula leaves and mustard micro-greens. After a last-minute panic, thinking this may not be enough, I had moong dal sprouts waiting to be used. Initially, I had soaked them for fermented moong bean pancakes but had not got around to grinding them, so they ended up as sprouts waiting for a purpose.
tips
- Any leftovers from the fresh coconut can be kept in the freezer; otherwise, they tend to go off before they can be used.
- If you cannot obtain fresh coconut, replace it with ¾ cup unsweetened, dried, shredded coconut.
- The urad and chana dal add a nice crunch. However, if you are unfamiliar with them, you can omit them and replace them with roughly chopped cashews or almonds, frying them until golden.
- The secret to getting this simple palya just right is to saute the sprouts minimally so that they are just slightly soft but still retain their freshness and are not overcooked.
During colder seasons, sprouts are an excellent source of fresh vegetables. Cooking them at this time of year balances their cooling nature. When lightly steaming or sautéing, they retain their vital and energizing qualities.
~ sweet winter plum tree. In Summer, it is laden with fruit that is brilliant in colour.
~ went outside to find her – soft and silent when she was out of the water.
~ slate skies, frosty mornings, and fingers tingling.
sprouted moong dal coconut lemon palya
pre-preparation 2 – 3 days
preparation 15 minutes
serves 4
ingredients
2½ cups sprouted whole moong dal (whole mung beans)
1½ cups freshly grated coconut
zest from a lemon
juice from a lemon
1 cup chopped coriander
salt and pepper, to taste
voggarane
1 Tbsp oil/ghee
1 heaped tsp urad dal
1 heaped tsp channa dal
½ tsp cumin seeds
10 curry leaves
pre-preparation
- To sprout the mung beans, follow the directions here, using 1 cup of mung beans. After an overnight soak, the sprouts are ready in two to three days.
preparation
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the ghee/oil and urad and channa dals. Fry until both dals are golden-brown, then add cumin seeds and curry leaves—fry for 30 seconds. Add the sprouts and saute for a few minutes, stirring to keep the sprouts moving.
- Add the grated coconut and saute for two more minutes or until the sprouts are slightly wilted but still hold their shape.
- Transfer to a medium-sized serving bowl, mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and coriander, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon or salt as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Goodness shared from Stacey
2 responses
Hi Stacey! I have a question. I cannot digest beans at all. I sadly had to finally give my beloved lot of beans to my boyfriend, because it has gotten to the point where a teeny bowl wreaks the worst havoc on my digestive system. The only one’s I didn’t give him are my Mung beans. I have read that they do not cause gas at all. But I’m afraid to take the risk! Can you shed some light on this little bean (I have also heard that adzuki don’t cause gas either, which is why Ayurveda and macrobiotics, respectively, used these two legumes). ANY help is SO appreciated! xo
Hi Francis, Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. It is nice to hear from you again. I feel for you as it is difficult to have so much disturbance in the system. I use beans and chickpeas very rarely because of their energetic qualities and difficulty in the system. There are two dals which are favourable and used most often – whole mung beans (whole moong beans) and split moong dal (yellow split lentils) which are whole moong beans skinned and split. These two are easy to digest, gentle on the system and cause minimum disturbances. Also when cooking them do not cover the pot with a lid, as this allows certain impurities or energetic imbalances to be eliminated. I would recommended to use in moderation and in very small quantities. Also in spending time with knowledgable teachers and observing their lifestyle they use these dals/legumes more as a garnish and not being the main part of the meal. Try this and please let me know how your body reacts. Use ghee with all meals, helps with the digestion. Blessings Stacey