Sprouted Moong Koshimbir

I tried to look up some information on Whole Moong because I know it is supposed to be really good for health. I found a whole bunch of stuff on Moong Dal which is basically the split version of the Moong bean.  But, the whole moong, I hear is better for you and the sprouted version of the whole moong even better. I love sprouting beans - there is a sense of excitement and anticipation! And the longer the sprouts, the happier I am.  This time, my friend Deepa gave me a tip to sprout them.  And it worked wonders.  This recipe is so quick and easy to make and goes well as a salsa or a side dish or raita or koshimbir.  I felt it was a little bland but then again spice levels are a personal thing - feel free to adjust them!

2 cups moong (after sprouting them)
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 c red onions, finely diced
1/2 c cilantro, finely diced
Lemon juice
Salt/Sugar/Black pepper

Tempering:
Oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Dash of asafoetida
4 curry leaves
2 Red chillies or 2 green chillies

Sprouting moong is so fun! First soak the moong over night in water (or atleast for 6 hrs).  Drain them in a colander.  Now, wrap them in a cheesecloth or a thin cotton cloth.  Put this is a colander and put a bowl on top of the wrapped moong.  Keep aside in a dark spot for a day.  The moong should sprout the next day.  Next, pressure cook the moong with some water and salt.  Only 1 whistle should be enough.  Check if they are cooked and if not perhaps cook it in a microwave.  You do not want the moong to be too mushy. It should be as the Italians say "al dente". 

Now we are ready to make this healthy and oh-so-yummy side dish.  Take the moong in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients to this.  For tempering, heat oil and add mustard seeds. when they sputter, add the curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and red or green chillies (but not both).  Do not keep the flame too high as the contents will burn.  Add the tempering contents to the moong dal bowl and mix well. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Note:  You can also add beaten yogurt to this mixture as serve as a raita.  This could also go well as a Salsa to be served with chips.  However, it may be a bit dry to serve as a salsa. In that case, substitute the lemon juice with some vinegar.