This creamy, vegan, coconut eggplant and mung bean curry can be made in under 30 minutes, making it a quick healthy meal option when you are pressed for time.
Mung beans – pulse or legume?
The Mung bean, also called as green gram is a pulse that comes from the legume family. A pulse is the edible seed from a legume. For example a pea pod is a legume but the individual pea is a pulse. Often used interchangeably, terms like pulses, legumes and beans have distinct meanings. Read about them here
These tiny green nutrient powerhouse were once native to India and then spread to South East Asia. It is widely consumed in Indian cuisine, both in sweet or savory form.
This recipe uses the whole version with skin on, although they are also widely used split with or without the skin, also as flour or in sprouted form.
They have a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and goes great in curries or in my favorite form, sprouted in salads.
I grew up eating many curried versions of mung beans, often as an accompaniment to south Indian breakfast items or as an accompaniment to rice.
This recipe also uses Indian eggplants which pairs so well with the mung bean and can be had with an accompaniment of Indian breads like naan or with rice. Lately, I have also enjoyed them as soups, you can dilute the recipe by adding more water or vegetable broth and have it soup form.
How to cook mung beans
Mung beans are one of the best plant based sources of protein and are rich in essential amino acids, amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. They are also a rich source of healthy antioxidants, which helps neutralize harmful molecules called free radicals. Sprouted mung beans contain more of essential amino acids and antioxidants compared to their unsprouted versions.
Along with these, they contain numerous other benefits like being rich in fiber and resistant starch which helps nourish our healthy gut bacteria. . Read more on the health benefits of these delicious, nutritious mung beans here
How to cook mung beans
For this recipe, I have called for 1 cup cooked mung beans. You can cook the mung beans with or without soaking them, based on the time you have. One cup of dried mung beans will yield to 3 cups of cooked beans. These are the 4 different ways to cook mung beans.
For the stovetop, wash and place the dried mung beans in a pot and cover with 1 part mung beans to three parts water. After you bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender. Soaking the mung beans reduces the time to cook but you have to plan in advance.
Where to find Organic mung beans
These are a few sources to find organic mung beans
- Banyan Botanicals
- Food to live
- 24 Mantra
- You will also be able to find the organic version at Whole Foods or at an Indian store.
I used Indian eggplant in this dish, which are small and oval and offer a creamy in texture when cooked, but you can also substitute it with other eggplant varieties like Japanese eggplant. Here is an interesting read on eggplants and the substitutes for each variety.
Creamy coconut mung bean and eggplant curry
This vegan creamy mung bean and eggplant curry is delicious and very easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked mung beans
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
- 2 green chilies finely sliced
- 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil (Add oil of your choice or ghee)
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 small Indian eggplants cubed
- salt to taste (I added 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt)
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
Instructions
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan set on low-medium heat.
- Add cumin and fenugreek seeds. Sauté for a few seconds until the cumin and fenugreek seeds release an aroma.
- Add the onions and the green chilies and sauté till the onions turn translucent.
- Add in the chopped eggplant, salt and turmeric.
- Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Take off the lid and add 1 cup of water or vegetable stock.
- Add the cooked mung beans. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes
- Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup thick coconut milk.
- Give everything a nice mix, garnish with chopped coriander.
- Serve warm with rice or bread
Notes
There are times when I have this curry as a soup by diluting it with water or vegetable broth. Either way, it tastes delicious.
Let us know in the comments below if you are planning on making this recipe.
If you enjoyed reading this, you will also enjoy this vegan sweet potato vermicelli noodle recipe .
I want to try this immediately! How did you cook the mung beans? Instant pot? Pressure cooker?
I am updating this recipe Nina! I will keep you posted 🙂