Curry Spiced Mung Bean Hummus

If you’re unsure of what mung beans are, they are tiny beans used in a variety of Asian cuisines. They usually come dried, and are green in color. They are popular in stores in the form of mung bean sprouts as well. Their starch is used to make those clear skinny cellophane noodles that I’m sure sure you’ve had in Asian noodle dishes.

You can find them at most health food stores, and they are an awesome addition to your pantry and can be used like you would use lentils or beans, or in this case hummus! A great alternative to using chickpeas as well.

This hummus recipe is very healthy and only uses a little bit of oil. It gets its flavor from the Indian spices and great quality olive oil.

1 c. dried mung beans
2 1/4 c. water
1 tsp. madras curry powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 T. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped + more to garnish
Pita chips for serving (I use Stacy’s multigrain pita chips)

Bring water to boil, then add dried mung beans, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil, and reduce heat to medium/low. Cover, and do not remove lid until about 30 minutes to check on them. They may break down a bit as they cook into almost a paste. You will know when they are done because they will be tender or begin to turn into a paste.

When beans are done cooking, let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, add mung beans, curry powder, turmeric, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and chopped parsley into a food processor. Pulse 10-15 times, then stream in olive oil and keep pulsing until mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste to season, and serve with pita chips, veggie sticks, or the dipper of your choice!

This is also awesome as a spread on sandwiches. If you cannot find mung beans, you can make this same recipe with canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans.