Sprouted green gram kosambari / Sprouted green gram salad

Germination or formation of Sprouts is a process in which small shoots come out of the dhal or cereal when these are kept with small amount of water. The grains and or pulses to be sprouted need to be soaked in just enough water so that all of it is absorbed. If the extra water in which they are soaked is thrown away, a lot of nutrients are lost.

Germination helps to increase the digestibility of pulses. Some vitamins and minerals become more when foods are sprouted. Vitamin B becomes almost double in quantity and Vitamin C increases by almost 10 times. 

With so many benefits of using sprouts, let us see how to prepare green gram sprouts kosambari. Please feel free to share your comments.

Ingredients

Green gram - 1 cup
Carrots - 3
Lemon - 1/2

Grated coconut - 3 to 4 spoons
Salt to taste

For tempering
Oil - 1 spoon
Urad dal - 1/2 spoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon

Curry leaves - 4 to 5

Green chillies - 2 to 3

Wash and soak the green gram for about 8 hours. Water level should be just enough for the green gram to be soaked. After 8 hours, I usually keep it hot case (hot box). Grains sprouts fast (in about 6 to 8 hours) in this method. Alternatively you can put these in cotton cloth and hang it.

Remove the skin of the carrots and grate them using a grater. Grind the green chillies to prepare chilly paste. Chop the curry leaves into small pieces.

Heat the tempering spatula. Add oil, urad dal and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds starts spattering, add green chilly paste and chopped curry leaves. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds.

Now add this to sprouted green gram. Add grated carrots, grated coconut, lemon juice, salt and mix well.

This can be served along with lunch or as morning or evening snacks. Can also be served as side dish along with roti, chapati etc.