Moong Dal-Mung Bean Soup

Mung is sweet, light, and cleansing. When husked and split, inside the whole green mung bean is the yellow mung or lentil found in the classic feel-better meal Kitchari. Soaking the whole mung beans removes its flatulence-producing compounds. Sprouting makes them light and cooling which is nice to eat in the hotter seasons. You can easily find these at an international or health foods store.

3 cups sprouted whole green mung beans
1 cup spinach
1/2 in ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 curry leaves
Pinch of hing
3/4 cup water
Handful of cilantro leaves
Safflower oil
Lemon juice
Salt

Soak dry beans overnight in warm place (like inside a oven). The following day, drain out the water and see that the beans have swelled. You can use like this or to sprout them, just wrap the beans in a moist thin cloth or paper napkin and leave overnight again in warm place. The next day, the beans will start to sprout. Leave them in the moist cloth longer if needed.

Heat a pan with oil and once heated add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once the seeds start to pop, add the beans, ginger, and hing. Add water and salt, then gradually add the spinach. Mix well and cover the pan with a lid until the beans are soft but not mushy. Garnish with cilantro leaves.