Kenyan Mung Bean Curry

Delicious and fragrant family friendly curry.

Having never cooked with mung beans apart from a cleansing Kitchadi which I make often I was looking forward to create a nourishing curry where this nutritious legume takes on centre stage.

Inspired by my past travels to Zanzibar I wanted to create an African inspired curry using the spice combinations of East Africa and Kenya in particular. I love the addition of ground clove in this curry!

Getting Ahead: You can make the curry a day or two ahead.

Seasonal Swaps: You can use any greens you have, I used baby spinach which I chopped finely but you can use kale or chard.

Tip: If you are short on time you can omit the mung beans and add 2 cans beans of choice after step 4, once the sauce have simmered for 10 minutes.

Serves 4

The curry would be lovely with some East African chapatis, a pickle and a dollop of yogurt.

Medium saucepan for the curry and a saucepan to cook the mung beans.

• 1 cup mung beans soaked overnight
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green peppers, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
• 5 cardamom pods, bashed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• handful greens (1 cup) finely chopped
• handful coriander, finely chopped

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, add the onions, carrots, green peppers and cardamom, cook covered until the vegetables are soft, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil, add the mung beans and simmer for 10 minutes until the mung beans are starting to soften but still have a bite to them, drain and keep aside.
3. Once the vegetables are soft, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, followed by the spices, salt and tomato paste and heat and stir for 3 minutes.
4. Add the canned tomatoes and the stock and bring to a gentle simmer, cook covered for 10 minutes.
5. Add the mung beans and simmer gently until the mung beans are soft but still holding their shape, about 12 minutes. Add the spinach and stir the spinach through the curry, remove from the heat.
6. Once cooled slightly, season with salt and pepper and when ready to serve sprinkle with coriander. Enjoy!