Mung Bean Soup Indian Spiced (Printable)

Comforting soup with mung beans, warming spices, and fresh vegetables for digestive health.

# What You Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 2 hours

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 1 medium tomato, chopped

→ Spices

08 - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
09 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
13 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

14 - 6 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Seasoning and Garnish

15 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
02 - Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until onion becomes translucent.
03 - Add carrots and celery. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon if using, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add soaked mung beans, chopped tomato, and vegetable broth or water. Stir well.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until mung beans are tender.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Add salt and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way turmeric and cumin bloom together creates this incredible depth that feels both healing and satisfying
  • Its one of those rare soups that actually gets better overnight, so lunch the next day becomes something to look forward to
02 -
  • The first time I forgot to soak the beans and tried to cook them directly, they took twice as long and still had this unpleasant crunch
  • Adding lemon juice at the end instead of during cooking preserves its bright flavor and keeps the soup's color vibrant
03 -
  • If you want extra creaminess without dairy, stir in a splash of coconut milk during the last 10 minutes of cooking
  • The consistency should be thick but still spoonable, add more broth if it becomes too dense
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