Mung Bean Soup: Detoxifying Elixir

Mung bean soup, a traditional dish in Ayurvedic cooking, is renowned for its nourishing and detoxifying properties. Delicately flavored and easy to digest, this hearty soup is a staple in many households. With its gentle nature, mung bean soup is often recommended for detox and to support overall well-being. Here’s why you might want to give it a go:

Benefits of Mung Beans:

• Mung beans are a rich source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

• They are light and easy to digest, making them suitable for all body types according to Ayurveda.

• Mung beans are known to balance all three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) in the body.

• They have detoxifying properties and help in cleansing.

The Six Tastes

Ayurveda recognizes six tastes, each with its unique effects on the body and mind:

1. Sweet (Madhura)

2. Sour (Amla)

3. Salty (Lavana)

4. Bitter (Tikta)

5. Pungent (Katu)

6. Astringent (Kashaya)

This mung bean soup incorporates various tastes such as sweet from vegetables, bitter from spices like turmeric, and pungent from ginger and garlic, thereby balancing all tastes according to Ayurvedic principles.

Detoxification

• The combination of mung beans, vegetables, and digestive spices aid in cleansing the body.

• Mung beans help in removing toxins from the body and support the liver's detoxification process.

• The soup is light, nourishing, and easy to digest, making it an ideal meal for detoxification and rejuvenation.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole green mung beans (soaked overnight)

• 4 cups water or vegetable broth

• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

• Pinch of asafetida (hing)

• 8-10 curry leaves

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 1 small zucchini, diced

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

• Salt to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish

• Fresh lemon wedges for serving

Prepare

• Rinse the soaked mung beans thoroughly and drain them.

• Chop all the vegetables and keep them aside.

• Grate fresh ginger and mince the garlic.

Cook

• In a large pot, heat ghee or coconut oil over medium heat.

• Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and stir.

• Stir in a pinch of asafetida and curry leaves, grated ginger, and minced garlic and ground spices. Sauté for a minute.

• Add chopped onions and cook until they turn translucent.

• Add diced carrots, celery, and zucchini. Sauté until they soften slightly.

• Add soaked mung beans and water or vegetable broth to the pot. Bring it to a boil.

• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until the mung beans are tender with no powdery white core. Squash to see that they are cooked all the way through.

• Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

Serve

Ladle the mung bean soup into serving bowls.

• Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges on the side.

*Can be served with a side of roti or basmati rice.