Moong sprouts salad

Sprouts are said to be super foods.And so ,I decided to include sprouts in my food at least on some days.

Moong sprouts : Soak whole moong in water for 4-5 hours.Then drain the water & use the sprout maker to get moong sprouts,the next day.In the alternative use a thin cotton cloth to grow sprouts.Tie the drain moong into a clean cloth .Leave it over night.Next day ,moong will have sprouted.Keep sprinkling the cloth with water drops every 2-3 hours.In winter,sprouting may be slow as compared to summers.

I soaked 1/4 cup whole moong to get sprouts which I used in this salad.Trust me ,it makes 1 whole cup of salad.

Ingredients : 1/4 cup   grated  carrot,1/4 cup grated cucumber,1/4 cup finely chopped onions,1 tsp lemon juice,moong sprouts ( 1/4 cup moong soaked & sprouted ) ,1/4 tsp grated  ginger, 1 green chilli finely chopped ( optional ) salt to taste.

Method : Mix all grated veggies & sprouts.Add salt & lemon juice & mix nicely.Add green chillies if that is needed.The salad is ready !

Actually,even grated  beetroot can be added.Even red, yellow bell peppers,shredded cabbage,etal.The possibilities are endless !

Chana masoor sprouted dal

I tried this dish once & my kid loved it. So ,I started making it fairly regularly.

Ingredients :1/2 bowl masoor ,1/2 bowl kaala chana,1 large onion,1 tomato , 1/2 carrot,1-2 hari mirchi,1/2 inch ginger,a few leaves of kadipatta ( optional ),1 tsp garam masala,2 tbsp oil,1/4 tsp hing ,salt to taste.

Method : Soak masoor & kaal chana in the morning.By evening ,remove the water & strain.Keep them covered in a perforated vessel.They can also be kept tied, in a clean piece of cloth to generate sprouts.Next morning ,they will have sprouted -masoor more than chana .If more sprouting is needed ,they can be kept for one more night & then cooked.

Take the sprouts & add water .Also add salt & pressure cook for 2 whistles.Then keep gas on slow & cook for another ten minutes.Now ,put off the gas. 10-15 minutes later  ,after the cooker has cooled,take out the sprouts .It will look like this.




Take a kadhai & put oil in that.Now add grated ginger & finely cut hari mirchi into the oil.Saute them all. Now add diced onions.Saute them.Add hing & mix well.Add diced carrot & mix.Finally, add diced tomatoes & mix well.Now add garam masala .Put off the gas after 5 minutes. When this mixture has cooled to room temperature ,take it out & make it into a paste by grinding the mixture in the mixer.Now add this paste to the sprouted dals.

There are two options now : one can cook the dal -paste mixture in cooker for 1-2  whistles depending on how soft one needs the sprouts to be .One can also opt to heat  the dal -paste mixture in a vessel till it boils once, if the massoor is not to  become a complete paste.

Now the dal is ready.One can add a dash of lemon juice to make it tangy.One can   garnish with hara dhania.

This dal can be accompaniment to chapatis ,rice & even pulav.