Sprout salad spring style

© Markus Biedermann

Mung beans (bot. Vigna radiata) also called lunja beans or Jerusalem beans, look like small crunchy peas when fresh. They have been cultivated in India for 1000 years, and now also in many other Asian countries. Mung beans are often confused with soybeans – especially when it comes to their sprouts. What are commonly called soybean sprouts are actually mung bean sprouts in the vast majority of cases. In soybean sprouts, the attached beans are white, whereas in mung bean sprouts they are green to brown. Interestingly, the concentration of vitamins is always higher in sprouts than in the actual seed. Why? That is a mystery – even for scientists.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Marinade

• 8 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp icing or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tbsp chilli cut into fine rings
• Salt, pepper
• 1 bunch chives finely chopped
• ½ Lemon (juice and zest) 

Salad ingredients

• 250 g mung bean sprouts
• 1 bunch Radish slices or strips
• 1 carrot
• 1 spring onion
• 100 g cress
• 100 g beetroot sprouts
• A few leaves of lettuce
• 50 g power sprouts
• 12 peppermint leaves
• 2 tbsp dry sesame seeds, toasted in a pan

Instructions

1. Weigh out all the marinade ingredients and mix together.
2. Peel the carrots and cut into julienne (fine strips, approx. 5 cm long). Wash and clean the radishes and cut into slices or strips. Wash spring onions, cut into slices.
3. Add these ingredients to the marinade and stir. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
4. Wash the mung bean sprouts and add them to the marinade.
5. Spread the lettuce leaves on a plate and arrange the marinated salad, sprinkle the mint leaves on top and garnish with the cress, beet sprouts and power sprouts. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top.

You may supplement with a poached egg, a small beef patty or a delicate bean burger (see other recipe)