This mung bean curry, aka green gram curry, is so creamy, cozy and ultra healthy. Flavored with coconut milk and gently spiced with warm curry spices, it's a bowl full of nourishment. Perfect for a chilly night.
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If you've tried my aubergine and chickpea curry, dal tadka or my aloo vindaloo curry recipes, you'll know I'm a big fan of Indian food. And, mung bean curry is no exception. Why will you love this recipe? It's packed with nutrition and it's so easy to mag.
If you have a bag of mung beans hanging out in your pantry and your looking for a great mung bean recipe, you've arrived at the right place. Or, if you've heard what nutritional powerhouses mung beans are - this is the recipe for you!
💚What's So Great About Mung Beans?
If you don't have a bag of mung beans in your pantry, go get some now! There's so much to love about this humble bean. Here's a few reasons they'll soon become your new favorite legume:
- They're a great source of protein and fiber.
- They're packed full of minerals like magnesium and iron.
- They're rich in antioxidants.
- Mung beans can be used in more than just curry recipes - they're great in stews, salads and soups.
- The carbs in mung beans are less likely to cause the stomach distress that other legumes do.
- They don't require soaking.
What's not to love? Let's make mung bean curry!
🙋What's The Difference Between Moong Beans And Mung Beans?
Moong beans or "moong dal" are simply mung beans that have been split and hulled, removing the outer green shell. So, essentially, moong dal is a type of mung bean. The whole mung beans are green, while the split and hulled version, moong dal, is yellow.
When you're shopping, think of moong dal as the more processed version of mung beans. Moong dal is the yellow, split, and hulled version of mung beans, while mung beans themselves are whole and green.
In this recipe, we will be using mung beans.
👨🍳How To Make Mung Bean Curry
- Step 1 - Wash The Mung Beans: Wash the mung beans, and remove any stones. There's no need to soak them (hooray!) This is true of all mung bean recipes.
- Step 2 - Cook The Mung Beans: Add six cups of water and a pinch of baking soda. Baking soda will help the beans cook a bit faster. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. The beans should be soft, but not so soft that they're falling apart. Drain them and set them aside
- Step 3 - Saute The Onions: While the beans are cooking, lets make your masala. Heat your coconut oil in a large pot. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes.
- Step 4 - Add The Curry Spices: Add your cumin, coriander, chili pepper flakes (optional), turmeric, salt and pepper and saute for one more minute.
- Step 5 - Add The Garlic & Ginger: Now add your minced garlic and grated ginger and saute for 1 more minute. Be careful not to burn your garlic.
- Step 6 - Add The Tomatoes & Coconut Milk: Tip in the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer your masala for 10 minutes.
- Step 7 - Add The Mung Beans: Finally, add your mung beans to the masala and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Squeeze in the lemon juice, adjust the seasoning and garnish with chopped coriander and a drizzle of coconut yogurt.
Top Tip
To wash mung beans, place them in a fine-mesh sieve or colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Gently rub the beans between your fingers to remove any dirt or debris, and repeat the process until the water runs clear.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
Mung bean curry is wonderful on it's own, but it also pair well with a variety of dishes and condiments. Here's a few ideas:
- Serve mung bean curry with basmati rice. It's a classic choice for a reason! If you have a rice cooker, make this recipe: Perfect Basmati Rice In A Rice Cooker (White & Brown) or this flavorful garlic rice.
- Mung bean curry is lovely with a cucumber raita.
- A sweet, tangy mango chutney never goes amiss with any curry recipe!
- Flatbreads are the perfect sidekick to curry. They're ideal for scooping up all that creamy goodness. You could try my Turkish Flatbread or this Za'atar Bread that has a lovely spiced topping. Or, go the traditional route with naan bread.
- A nice fresh cucumber mango salad would also complement this dish well.
❄️Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Allow the curry to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer
Allow your curry to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag. Label with the date for reference. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Thawing and Reheating
When ready to eat your mung bean curry, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You might need to add a little water or coconut milk if it thickens during freezing.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
No need to soak the mung beans for this recipe! The instructions mention washing the mung beans and removing any stones, but there's no soaking required. You simply add the washed mung beans to a saucepan with water and a pinch of baking soda, bring it to a boil, then simmer until the beans are tender. So, you can save some time and skip the soaking step for this particular mung bean curry recipe.
Yes, just modify the recipe like this : Wash 2 cups of mung beans and place them in a pressure cooker with a pinch of baking soda. Cook on high pressure for 10-15 minutes. In a separate pot, sauté onions, spices, garlic, and ginger, then combine with cooked mung beans, canned tomatoes, and coconut milk in the pressure cooker. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, stir in lemon juice, and garnish before serving.
Dry mung beans can indeed go bad over time. Factors like exposure to moisture or extreme temperatures can lead to spoilage. To ensure their freshness, store dry mung beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. If they develop an off smell, unusual appearance, or show signs of mold, it's best to discard them.
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📖 Recipe
Mung Bean Curry
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried mung beans
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 large yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes *optional
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- handful fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Optional Garnishes
- handful cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut yogurt
Instructions
- Wash the mung beans and remove any stones (no need to soak). Transfer them to a medium size saucepan. Add 6 cups of water and a pinch of baking powder. Bring to a hard boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes. *see note 1
- While the mung beans are cooking, heat the coconut oil in a large pot. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili flakes,salt and pepper. Saute for a further minute.
- Add the garlic and ginger and saute for one minute more. Tip in the tomatoes and coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander and coconut yogurt.
Notes
- If you find that the water is evaporating too quickly, simply add a bit more until the mung beans are cooked.
Padma
My favourite legumes of all! This curry looks so comforting. Thank you for a lovely recipe.
Keri Bevan
Me too, Padma!
Lydia
I had some mung beans lying around and this recipe was exactly what I needed. Made this for dinner and I loved how creamy and flavorful it turned out. I paired it with naan bread and it was absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!
Keri Bevan
Naan bread is the perfect complement.xx
Gina
Mungbeans are a staple in my pantry but I've never tried it with curry until last night. It was so good! Definitely making this again!
Jennifer
Wow! There was some serious flavor in this curry! I loved how easily it came together and we all gobbled it up. I had some leftovers but they're in the freezer now so thanks for those freezing tips!
Keri Bevan
H Jennifer, so glad you liked the curry.