Mahanandi

Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Sautéed Sprouts ~ Moong, Moth & Red Chori


Tiranga Sprouts: Moong, Moth and Red Chori Bean Sprouts

Sprouts for breakfast is still a solution for early morning hunger in Bharat’s many “long-life” rural villages, where they are considered essential to good health and longevity. One of the few people in the world to start off the day with sprouts, Bharatiya – the old world kind, point to the fact that sprouts are quick and easy to prepare. For our grandparents, the hearty ruchi of filling sprouts was as appetizing as that of bagel and bread for many of our generation. Even today, my grandparents and in-laws start the day with sprouts. Their explanation is that sprouts offer abundant nourishment, stamina and energy that last all morning. It is also well known fact that sprouts aid to digestion and assimilation.

Among all legume and lentil sprouts, the moong beans make the popular choice. Mellow and subtly sweet, freshly sprouted moong beans are easy to like and easy to digest. Equally good are moth (Matki) and red chori bean sprouts. Together, in three vibrant colors, the Tiranga sprouts make a very satisfying snack or meal.

Vijay and I, we both are big fans of Tiranga sprouts. Vijay goes for raw; I on the other hand prefer when they are lightly sautéed and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The oil-less sautéing imparts a heartwarming sweet aroma and makes them an irresistible kind of snack for me.


Sautéing the Sprouts in an Iron Skillet

Method:

Half cup each – freshly sprouted moong, moth and red chori beans
Half teaspoon each – salt and pepper
Iron Skillet and 5 minutes of your time

Heat an iron skillet or kadai on medium flame.
Place the sprouted beans.
Saute them continuously mixing for about five minutes.
Turn off the heat, when they are still soft yet crunchy.
(Avoid prolonged saute. It makes them extremely crispy, which in turn would cause hard dental workout and we don’t want that.)
Sprinkle salt and pepper. Mix and serve hot.
Lemon juice, finely chopped onions etc can be added if desired.


Sautéed Sprouts with Salt and Pepper ~ An Heartwarming Snack

Notes:
Tirangā – तिरंगा (Hindi) = Tri Color (English)
Moong, Moth and Red Chori beans are available in Indian grocery.

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Moong Dal (whole),Moth (Desi Chori),Red Beans (Chori),Sprouts (Molakalu) (Tuesday June 26, 2007 at 9:58 pm- permalink)
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Ruchira ~ Cookbook Review and Recipe Sprouted Beans Usal


Ruchira by Kamalabai Ogale

“Ruchira ~ Selected Maharashtrian Vegetarian Recipes” by Kamalabai Ogale is a sweet little cookbook that I have been using for just over a year. The cookbook is an English translation of 25-year old original by the same name “Ruchira” in Marathi language.

Ruchira is chock full of honest content. A total of 94 recipes in 11 categories, nearly all recipes are within reach of competent home cooks. Many recipes are quite simple to prepare, the instructions are easy to follow and the rewards are great. The difference is not in the dishes offered, but in the ingredients and how the Marathas use them. The text should be read first to get a feel for the Maharashtrian cooking. Then head for the kitchen to cook one of the divine recipes. Next to going to Maratha heartland, Ruchira offers a great way to treat ourselves to cooking real Marathi way.

If you are looking for a book that will teach you to cook the best Maharashtrian food, then I will definitely recommend Ruchira. It’s a precious little gem!


Sprouted Moong, Moth and Red Chori Beans

“Sprouted Beans Usal” from Ruchira cookbook has become one of my favorite recipes. What makes this recipe standout from our own Nandyala style moog bean curry recipe is the addition of kala masala, and jaggery. Subtly spiced and well balanced, I’ve become a loyal fan of sprouted beans usal.

Recipe:

Grind to Paste:
5 peeled garlic cloves, 8-10 green chillies (small, Indian type), 1 teaspoon cumin and two to four tablespoons of grated fresh coconut.

Heat and Simmer:
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a big saucepan.
Add one cup each – moong, moth and red chori sprouted beans.
Add about three cups of water.
Cover and simmer the beans, until they reach fall-apart stage.

Add and Mix:
To the cooked beans, add the ground paste.
Also a tablespoon each- kala masala and powdered jaggery and
Half teaspoon each – turmeric and salt.
Mix and simmer another five minutes.
If the Usal(curry) looks too dry, add about half cup of water.

Popu or Tadka Touch:
While the beans are simmering with spices, do the tadka in a small pan.
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan. Add and toast few fresh curry leaves, pinch of cumin, mustard seeds and asafetida. (This technique is called popu or tadka.)
Add the tadka to the sprouted beans. Mix and turnoff the heat.
Sprouted beans usal tastes great with chapatis/rotis/parathas.


Sprouted Beans Usal with Paratha ~ From Maratha Heartland to Our Home
My Entry to RCI~Maharashtra hosted by Nupur of One Hot Stove

Notes:
Thanks for this lovely gift Veena!
I’ve prepared Kala Masala following the recipe outlined here.
Ruchira Available at Aggarwaloverseas.com
Recommend “Ruchira” to local libraries.

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Moong Dal (whole),Moth (Desi Chori),Red Beans (Chori),Reviews: Cookbooks,Sprouts (Molakalu) (Monday June 25, 2007 at 7:08 pm- permalink)
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The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Moong, Moth and Red Chori Bean Sprouts

Series of Sprouts ~ Tiranga Sprouts


Moong Beans, Moth Beans and Red Chori Beans ~ for This Week’s Indian Kitchen

Moong Beans – Green colored beans
Moth Beans – Brown colored beans. Available in Indian stores.
Red Chori Beans – Reddish-brown colored beans, smaller than adzuki (chori) and Rajma beans. Available in Indian stores (packet label – “Red or Desi Chori”).

Moong, moth and red chori – three beans, three different colors, but they are similar in size and almost in taste. Very fast and reliable sprouters, they produce delightful looking sprouts that taste mellow and crisply sweet. Consumed raw, curried or dal’ed, the sprouts of moong-moth-red chori combination make a perfect meal any time of the day.


Moong, Moth and Red Chori ~ After a Day of Soaking in Water

Soak moong, moth and red chori beans in water overnight.
Drain and gather them in a loosely woven cotton cloth.
Tie a knot and hang the cloth at a kitchen window or warm area in the house.
Keep the cloth moist by spraying water at regular intervals.
Because they are similar in size, the sprouts make an appearance at the same time, usually within a day.
When the sprouts grow to the size of beans, remove and enjoy raw or curried.


Moong, Moth and Red Chori Sprouts ~ To Start the Day off Mellow

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Indian Ingredients,Indian Kitchen,Moong Dal (whole),Moth (Desi Chori),Red Beans (Chori),Sprouts (Molakalu) (Sunday June 24, 2007 at 11:12 pm- permalink)
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