This is a balancing recipe, easy on digestive system and highly nourishing. It is easy to make and creamy in texture. Mung beans and chayote soup is recommended for all health conditions and age groups.
This recipe can be taken at any meal as it helps to balance all three dosha.
Mung Beans
According to Ayurveda mung beans are considered a cooling food, with sweet and astringent tastes, and have a nourishing and cleansing effect. Yellow moong dal is easy to digest.
It can balance all three doshas (Pitta, Vata, Kapha).
Other lentils (dal) such as red lentils (masoor dal) or green moong dal may be used with the same recipe.
Mung Beans and Chayote Curry Recipe
Servings: 4 persons
Time taken: 30 mins with preparation
Ingredients
- 200g Yellow Moong dal
- 200g Chayote (or bottle gourd/luffa/zucchini)
- 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 Garlic cloves thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 spring of curry leaves (optional)
- 1 Green chili or Dry red chili (as required)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili powder (adjust to your taste)
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt/Himalaya salt (adjust to test)
- ~ 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves or green onion finely chopped for garnishing
- Lemon slice
Method of Preparation
- Wash the dal and soak it for 20 minutes in 2~3 cups of water. Keep aside
- Wash and peel the skin of chayote and cut into small cubes. Keep aside.
- Take a frypan or a saucepan add oil /ghee in a pan add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, let them crackle. Add asafetida.
- Add sliced garlic, let it become little brown in color then add curry leaves & green chilies. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Then add chopped chayote mix well.
- On slow flame add coriander powder, red chili powder & turmeric powder. Take care not to burn the spices. Then add salt and few tablespoons of water & let the vegetables cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water from the moong dal(step1) and add it into the pan. Mix well. Add 2 cups of water. Cook till the dal is completely cooked. You can cover it for a few minutes to cook it faster.
- You can make it dry or soupy as per your liking. Taste the dal and adjust salt/chili powder according to your taste.
- Garnish with coriander leaves or green onion. Serve with a fresh lemon slice.
- Serve with soft rice, roti, and paratha or just as a soup.
Notes
- Make it without garlic or add 1 teaspoon grated ginger along with green chillies.
- Use green moong dal or pink masoor dal or cooked toor dal instead of yellow moong dal.
- Also add ½ cup chopped spinach and 1 chopped tomato to try another variation.