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The Fair Trade Cook Book

Mung Bean Hotpot

This Indian dish is Fairtrade, healthy, vegan, warm, flavoursome, juicy food.
Mung beans (a.k.a. Moong beans) are more commonly known as mung dal in India, and when sprouted are known as beansprouts in chinese cookery. Mung beans can be cooked, like lentils, without pre-soaking. However, if your beans are old, then a good soak will help. Quantities given are for 4 portions.

Ingredients

5 ml	black mustard seeds
5 ml	fenugreek seeds
5 ml	cumin seeds
1	medium white onion
2 cm	fresh root ginger
5 ml	ground coriander
5 ml	FAIRTRADE ground turmeric
5 ml	chili powder
200 gm	mung beans
500 gm	organic carrots
500 gm	organic local potatoes
1 litre	water or veg stock
4	cloves garlic
500 gm	fresh spinach
1	FAIRTRADE lime
	salt
	FAIRTRADE black pepper
FAIRTRADE	Sources Fresh food Chili peppers Rice Pulses Herbs and Spices

Method

Preparation

Peel and chop fine the onion.
Peel and mince the ginger (I use a garlic crusher).
Wash and peel the potatoes and carrots and cut into bite sized chunks.
Peel and chop fine the garlic.
Juice the lime and discard the peel / pith.
Prepare the spinach by removing any tough stems etc.

Cooking

In the old cast iron pot, warm some cooking oil and fry the mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds until they begin to pop.
Add the onion and ginger and stir fry until the onion starts to turn translucent.
Add the coriander, turmeric and chili powder and stir round. Add the potatoes, carrots, mung beans and water or stock.
Bring to the boil and then cover and simmer until all the veg are cooked.
This will be longer (up to 45 minutes) for unsoaked beans.
Add the garlic and spinach and cook for a few minutes.
Add the lime juice, salt, pepper to taste.
Take off the heat and allow the flavours to mingle. The dish can be kept hot in the oven (Gas Mark 2) for 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve

Serve with plain boiled rice and chutneys.

Variation

Older mung beans can be soaked overnight.
Fresh chili can be used, if so, chop and take out the seeds, and add with the onions.
Lemon can be used in place of the lime.
Frozen spinach can be used, just defrost early or in the microwave.