This image is from one of my favorite Oakland, California restaurants The Well. I go here often after a yoga class with my good friends. The food is made fresh and feels so nourishing. My other favorite on the menu is the Root coffee.
Mung Beans and Rice Recipe
A perfectly balanced protein dish, easy to digest, and very satisfying. Good any time of the year, but makes a particularly good winter diet.
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- 4-1/2 cups (1.25 L) water
- 1/2 cup (250 ml) mung beans
- 1/2 cup (250 ml) basmati rice
- 1/4 cup (125 ml) ginger root, finely minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chopped vegetables
- 2 Tablespoons (40 ml) ghee or vegetable oil
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chilies
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon. cardamom seeds (2 pods)</li
- 1 bay leaf
- Top with cilantro and/or spicy arugula
Rinse mung beans and rice. Add mung beans to boiling water and cook until beans begin to split. Add rice and cook another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the vegetables. (Alternatively, one could add the vegetables along with the rice.) As the mixture cooks, it will start to thicken. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until clear. Add spices and cook 5 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add a little water if necessary. Add this to the rice and beans. The final consistency should be like a thick soup. Total cooking time is about 1-1/2 hours. Add salt or soy sauce (tamari, for gluten free) to taste. Serve plain or with yogurt and top with cilantro and arugula.
Makes 4 servings.
Reference: KRI INTERNATIONAL KUNDALINI YOGA TEACHER TRAINING LEVEL ONE TEXTBOOK
