Mixed Sprouts Dry Curry

Every Sunday, I would relish a bowl full of Khichadi, a one-pot dish made with rice and lentils accompanied by pickle and curd for lunch. But after I was diagnosed with HS, I learned that maintaining healthy sugar levels and avoiding specific foods had immensely helped me to surpass painful flare-ups. That’s when I began the elimination process. With a long list of rustic spices, veggies, fruits, and nuts that needed to be avoided, keeping hunger pains at bay still continues to be very challenging for me.

This South Indian protein-laden sprouts curry is not only easy to prepare but also contains fiber that makes me feel fuller for a longer duration.

Makes 2 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes (not including the time needed for the grams and legume to sprout and soften)
Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients for Mixed Sprouts Dry Curry

• 1.5 cups sprouted legumes (a mix of green gram sprouts, brown gram sprouts, horse gram sprouts and black-eyed peas sprouts in equal proportion)
• 2 tsp of sugar free kokum syrup (ideally 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice is used for this recipe)
• Salt as required

For tempering:

• 2-3 tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil or sunflower oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Bengal gram (split)
• 1/2 tsp split and skinned black gram
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 cut green chilies or 2 dry red chilies (I skip this step as anything spicy causes flares)
• 1/16 tsp asafetida
• 5 curry leaves

Garnish:

• 1 tbsp grated fresh wet coconut
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves or cilantro

Sprouting:

The process of sprouting grains at home is fun, easy and pocket friendly. Rinse the green gram in water to get rid of unwanted dust particles and transfer it into a bowl. Add filtered water of room temperature to it. Make sure the water is 3 inches above the green gram. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the green gram soak overnight or for 8 hours at room temperature. The grains should swell overnight. Use a strainer to drain the water and rinse the green gram with clean water to avoid the risk of contamination. You will need a wet muslin cloth or a moist clean cotton cloth. Drain excess water from the cloth and open it fully. Add the swollen green gram in the middle of the cloth. Gather the ends of the cloth and tighten them into a bundle. Place the bundle in a clean bowl and put a lid upon it. Keep aside for a day or two. Check to see if the sprouts have grown through the cloth. Now your preservative-free sprouts are ready for use! Repeat the same process with brown gram, horse gram, and black-eyed peas.

Directions for Mixed Sprouts Dry Curry

1. Add 3 cups of water to the mixed sprouts and put it to boil on medium or high flame. Once the water evaporates, open the lid and check if the sprouts are chewable. If they appear uncooked, add more water to soften them. (Do not make it too soft as this is a dry curry). Once they are ready, pour the contents in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp Bengal gram, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp split and skinned black gram, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 2 cut green chilies, 1/16 tsp asafoetida, and 5 curry leaves. Saute for a minute on low flame.
3. Add the boiled sprouts to the tempering. Mix well. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes on low flame.
4. Add salt and 2 teaspoons sugar-free kokum syrup and mix. Turn off the flame. Garnish with 1 tbsp grated fresh wet coconut and 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves or cilantro and mix well. Serve hot or you can consume it when it cools down to room temperature. You can eat as it is or with Indian flatbread.