Moong Sprouts Salad (Indian Sprouts Salad)
A quick, protein-rich moong sprouts salad with cucumber, tomato, carrot, and a chaat-style lemon dressing. Ready in 10 minutes; vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the salad base
- 1 cup moong bean sprouts homemade or store-bought
- 3 cups water for blanching, if needed
- 1/2 cup cucumber finely diced
- 1/2 cup tomato finely diced, deseed if very juicy
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup carrot grated
- 2 tablespoons bell pepper finely diced, optional
- 1 small green chilli finely chopped, or 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger grated, optional
For the dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera)
- 1/4 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1/4 teaspoon kala namak (black salt) or regular salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more to taste
For crunch (choose one or mix)
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts crushed
- 2 tablespoons roasted chana dal (dalia) lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons puffed rice (murmura) added just before serving
Optional seasonal add-in
- 2 tablespoons grated raw mango (kacha aam) in summer
Instructions
Prep the sprouts
- Rinse moong sprouts under cold running water. Drain well.
- If using store-bought sprouts, sprouts from the fridge, or if anyone eating has a sensitive stomach: blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and shake dry until no excess water remains.
- If using fresh same-day homemade sprouts: pat dry gently after rinsing.
Chop the vegetables
- Dice cucumber and tomato, chop onion, grate carrot, and prep herbs and chilli. Keep vegetables in a bowl until ready to mix.
Assemble the salad
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sprouts and all prepared vegetables.
- Add cumin powder, chaat masala, kala namak, chilli powder if using, and lemon juice. Toss gently until everything is coated.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon. The salad should taste bright and slightly tangy, not flat.
Serve
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with crushed peanuts, roasted chana dal, or murmura for crunch.
- Serve immediately. If using raw mango, fold it in at the last step for extra summer tang.
Notes
Home sprouting shortcut: Soak 1/2 cup whole moong 8 hours, drain, wrap in damp cloth, and leave at room temperature 24 to 36 hours, rinsing twice daily until tails are 1/4 inch long. Use within a day for raw salad, or blanch if storing.
Moth bean, kala chana, or masoor sprouts need full cooking until tender before salad use. Do not eat those raw.
Kid-friendly version: skip green chilli; use black pepper and extra lemon. Murmura on top makes it fun to eat with fingers.
Prep and blanch sprouts up to 1 day ahead; chop vegetables and store separately. Mix and dress just before eating so the salad stays crisp.
Dressed salad is best eaten fresh. Undressed components keep 1 day refrigerated in airtight containers.
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