Essential Pantry Organic Dried Mung Dal - Split Mung Beans

1 pound bag

The mung bean is a bean that is everywhere, except perhaps in your pantry. History tells us that India was the first to cultivate the bean in 1500 AD. The bean then spread to the diets of East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Today, it is widespread, although not common here in the animal protein-dominant US.

Moong dal is the mung bean split in two, either with or without its skin. With the skin, the bean is green, and without it is a pale yellow. Either/or can be used in recipes, with only the cooking times adjusted for the difference.

In Indian cooking, out of all the beans, Moong dal is perhaps the most popular. Considered to be easily digestible; according to Ayurveda, the Mung bean is “tridoshic” (a quality that is a supremely rare quality in a human). Tridoshic is described as an equal balance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas, the elements responsible for mental, emotional, and physiological health.

Though my knowledge of Ayurveda is minimal, I find it quite interesting. Food is a key ingredient in one's health; what’s not to like about that?

This weekend we are sharing classic recipes that use Moong dal as the base. One of the big benefits is that these recipes include some of my favorite nostril-filling spices.

So you get the potential benefits of Moong dal mixed with spices that all have wonderful health properties as well. (Keep in mind, I think all food is good for you, especially salty and sweet!)