Suits: GF, DF, Contains Eggs*.
Ingredients - Mung Beans Sprouts:
- 400g Dry Organic Mung Beans
- Water
Ingredients - Pakora:
- 3 ½ cups (450g) Sprouted mung beans (see below how to prepare these)
- 1 ¼ cups (100g) Besan flour
- 1 ½ cups (600g) Kale
- 1 cup (750g) Spring onions
- ½ cup (30g) Fresh herbs (coriander, parsley and mint)
- 1 clove (7g) Garlic
- 3 (165g) Medium eggs
- 2 ½ tsp (7g) Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp (3g) Coriander powder
- 1 tsp (3g) Cumin powder
- 2 tsp (7g) Lime juice
- 1.5 tsp (8g) Salt
- ½ tsp (2g) Pepper
- 1 ½ cups (300g) Coconut oil (For Frying)
Method - Mung Beans Sprouts:
- Soak mung beans in a large bowl with plenty of water to cover (at least 5 times the amount of water to mung beans) leave this to soak overnight, at least 12-24 hours
- The next day, drain your mung beans and rinse well
- Leave them in a colander or strainer (it’s best if this can roughly fit inside another bowl or container to strain the excess liquid and also deter any pests getting in)
- Cover with a clean, wet, damp tea towel
- You can leave this set up on your bench top, somewhere in partial light but not directly in the sun
- Check sprouts in the morning and night, give them a good rinse, some love, rinse the tea towel and re-cover
- Keep sprouts moist, rinsed and don’t let them dry out too much. If you are in a warm place you can rinse them 3 times a day to prevent unwanted bacteria or mould developing
- Check and rinse them every day and once they have started to sprout they are ready to use. You can use them straight away or keep continuing the rinsing process each day until the sprouts grow as long as you desire
- Keep any excess mung bean sprouts in the fridge and they will keep well for 5-7 days
Method - Pakora:
- Pick herbs from the stalk and roughly chop, discard any thick parts of the stalk. Remove and discard the kale stems and thinly slice kale leaves, put these aside for now
- Slice the green ends of the spring onions into chunky batons, about 4cm long and thinly slice the white part into small disks, about 2mm thin, put these aside for now and discard the roots (or plant them)
- In a blender or food processor, add eggs, besan flour, garlic, powdered spices, salt, pepper, lime juice and 1 1/2 cups of sprouted mung beans, blend until the batter is well combined
- Add blended mixture to a large bowl with freshly chopped herbs, spring onion, kale and the remaining mung bean sprouts, mix well and make sure all your vegetables are coated well in batter
- In a medium sized fry pan over medium to high heat, add the coconut oil (aim for the oil to be about 2 cm high in your pan to ensure even cooking and a crunchy texture)
- Once the oil is hot (about 160 - 170°C) use a tablespoon measure to scoop large spoonfuls of batter into the pan. Making sure not to overcrowd the pan
- When the Pakora are crispy and brown on the bottom, carefully turn them over to cook on the other side. This can take approximately 2-3 minutes on either side. (If they are browning too quickly, turn your heat down)
- Once golden brown and crunchy you can take them out of the pan and drain them on some paper towel or in a strainer
- Serve warm, fresh and crispy with some dipping sauce such as this chana dhal hummus, chutney or raita!
History & Benefits of Sprouting:
In this recipe we have chosen mung beans as they are one of the easiest, fastest, tastiest and most versatile foods to sprout, plus they are so good for you!
Sprouting is an inexpensive and easy way to boost the nutritional benefits of beans, lentils and more. Sprouts are high in fibre, and not only help aid digestion, but also to release the nutrients within the legume. They are also high in prebiotics, which is amazing for our gut health and microbiome. Sprouting is the natural process by which seeds put out shoots. By sprouting our foods before we eat them, we are starting the germination process.
Bean sprouts are a popular ingredient across the world (especially in Asian cuisine) and so easy to make at home - try this recipe and see how you go!
Santos Organics is proud to partner with Conscious Grounds Kitchen
This recipe was developed in collaboration with Conscious Grounds Kitchen expert team of chefs and nutritionists. Conscious Ground Organics is a certified organic farm and earth education centre in Byron Bay. Their philosophy is to bring compassion, love and healing through the food they grow, while the affiliated Conscious Ground Kitchen is dedicated to providing the most delicious, nutrient-rich food products for your home, because great nutrition is vital for a healthy lifestyle.
