Mung bean salad with nuts, olives and red pepper

Ingredients

• 200 g Dry mung beans (Rinsed and soaked 6 h)
• 1 c. à café Salt (For cooking the beans)
• 1 Medium onion (Diced, 3/4 will be sautéed)
• 1 Red bell pepper (Diced, 3/4 will be sautéed)
• 50 g Pitted olives (Cut into small cubes)
• 50 g Nuts (cashews or walnuts) (Coarsely chopped)
• 2 Garlic cloves (Finely chopped)
• 25 ml Milk (Added to the nut chopping)
• 20 g Fresh parsley (Chopped)
• 4 c. à soupe Extra virgin olive oil (2 c. à soupe for cooking, 2 c. à soupe for dressing)
• 3 c. à soupe Balsamic vinegar
• 1 c. à soupe Agave syrup
• 1 c. à soupe Lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon)

Instructions

1. Soaking the beans

   Rinse the mung beans, place them in a large bowl of cold water and let soak for 6 hours.

   Time: PT6H

2. Cooking the beans

   Drain the beans, place them in a saucepan with twice their volume of water, bring to a boil.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Simmering

   Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes until the beans are tender.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 90°C

4. Cooling the beans

   Drain the cooked beans and spread them on a tray to cool at room temperature.

   Time: PT10M

5. Preparing the vegetables

   Dice 1 medium onion and 1 red bell pepper into small cubes. Cut 50 g of pitted olives into cubes.

   Time: PT10M

6. Chopping the aromatics

   Chop 50 g of nuts, 2 garlic cloves, 20 g of parsley and mix with 25 ml of milk.

   Time: PT5M

7. Heating the pan

   Heat a pan over medium heat and add 2 c. à soupe olive oil.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

8. Sautéing the vegetables

   Sauté about 75 g onion and 100 g bell pepper (the 3/4) for 5 minutes until they become translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

9. Adding garlic and nuts

   Stir in the chopped garlic and nuts, cook for 1 minute while stirring quickly.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

10. Cooling the sautéed mixture

    Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

    Time: PT10M

11. Assembling the salad

    In a large bowl, combine the cooled beans, the sautéed mixture, the remaining raw onion and bell pepper, the olives and the chopped parsley.

    Time: PT5M

12. Preparing the dressing

    In a small bowl, whisk together 3 c. à soupe balsamic vinegar, 1 c. à soupe agave syrup, salt, the juice of half a lemon and 2 c. à soupe olive oil until emulsified.

    Time: PT3M

13. Final seasoning

    Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.

    Time: PT2M

14. Chill

    Place the salad in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 4°C

Nutrition Facts

Calories

386

Protein

8.5 g

Carbohydrates

39 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

6.5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dry mung beans: Green lentils, Chickpeas
• Instead of Medium onion: Shallot
• Instead of Red bell pepper: Yellow bell pepper
• Instead of Pitted olives: Capers, Pickles
• Instead of Nuts (cashews or walnuts): Almonds, Pistachios
• Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder (1 c. à café)
• Instead of Milk: Almond milk, Soy milk
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Cilantro, Chives
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Canola oil, Sunflower oil
• Instead of Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar
• Instead of Agave syrup: Honey, Maple syrup
• Instead of Lemon juice: Lemon vinegar

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan or pot
• Colander
• Frying pan
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Tablespoons
• Wooden or silicone spatula (optional)
• Measuring bowl (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Soaking mung beans for 6 hours
• Cooking beans until tender
• Sautéing onions and peppers until translucent
• Mixing the dressing and final seasoning

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly toast the nuts dry before chopping for more flavor.
• Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled juice.
• Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to brighten the taste.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the texture of beans and nuts deteriorates.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Soak the beans the night before.
• Cook the beans ahead of time and keep them refrigerated.
• Prepare the dressing separately and add it just before serving.