Recipe: Mung Beans and Onion Salad (Turkey)

Mung Beans and Onion Salad

Mas Piyazi

Although mung beans have traditionally been the food of the very poor in the Mediterranean, especially in North Africa, this Turkish salad does not seem so poor. I've adapted the recipe from one by the Turkish cookbook writer Nevin Halici. Mung beans are peppercorn-size dark green beans that look like du Puy lentils at a quick glance.

The red Aleppo pepper used in this recipe can be found at Middle Eastern markets. To create an acceptable substitute, you can mix three parts Hungarian sweet paprika to one part ground red chile pepper.

1-1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) fresh mung beans
4 cups water
Salt to taste
1 small white onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon ground red Aleppo pepper

For the dressing
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Freshly squeezed juice from 1 small lemon

1. In a large saucepan, place the mung beans, water, and a little salt and bring to a boil,. Cook the beans until they are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let them cool.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the beans, onion, dill, and red pepper and season with salt. Arrange the salad in a shallow serving bowl. Mix together the pomegranate molasses and lemon juice, drizzle over the beans, and serve.

Buy the Book!

Mediterranean Vegetables
A Cook's ABC of Vegetables and
Their Preparation in Spain, France, Italy,
Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa,
with More than 200 Authentic Recipes for the Home Cook
By Clifford A. Wright
Harvard Common Press, September 2001
Hardcover, $ 29.95
ISBN: 1-55832-196-9
Recipe reprinted by permission.