Delicately spiced with just a pinch of turmeric and topped with fresh mint leaves, this recipe is a winner.

Healthy Moong Beans

Moong beans are one of the healthiest dishes around. Packed with nutrients, low in calories, filling, and extremely healthy, this dish is a super food for vegetarians. It’s so good for you that many times it’s made as a side dish to go with Indian meals.

Moong beans a staple in Indian homes

Moong bean lentils is a staple in many Indian homes with a wide variety of ways of making it. This variation of warm moong beans is a recipe I learnt recently when I went to Dallas for my brother Kiran and sister-in-law Prachi’s big birthday bash.

Post party breakfast – moong beans on the menu

On Sunday morning after a Saturday night of partying, for our post-party breakfast Prachi’s Mom, Dad and extended family all got together to host a very special Indian breakfast.  This warm moong bean side dish was on the menu.

Delicately spiced with just a pinch of turmeric and topped with fresh mint leaves, the moong beans were so delicious that I asked Prachi’s Mom Dharshana for the recipe.  

Apparently Dharshana makes it often for her grandkids as my brother’s little twins love this dish!

No oil, no additional spices, just moong beans, salt and turmeric topped with fresh mint; this is one awesomely delicious recipe.

A little cup of this warm moong bean side dish will keep you satisfied for hours. Perfect for a light lunch or as a side to accompany a main course, give this warm moong beans with fresh mint a try!

Requires a little planing – soak the moong beans the night before

The only downside to this dish is that it requires a little planning ahead.  Dried whole moong beans have to be soaked in water for at least 15 hours. But the rest couldn’t be any easier.  

When I made my warm moong beans, I soaked the dried beans the night before and then cooked it for dinner the following evening.  Here is the recipe courtesy of Prachi’s Mom – Dharshana.

Warm Moong Beans with Fresh Mint and Turmeric
recipe courtesy of Dharshana

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried whole green moong beans
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Salt
• Fresh Mint about 10-15 leaves finely cut
• Lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

• Rinse the moong beans then place them in a bowl with 4 cups water. Cover and let it soak for 15 hours. Best to soak the beans overnight and cook them the next day at dinner time.
• When ready to make moong beans, drain the water and cook the beans with 2 cups water, salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric. I cooked mine in the instapot using in the rice setting or you can use the pressure cook setting for 15 minutes.
• After the moong beans are cooked tender, top with fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Serve warm.