Creamy Persian-style mung bean dip blended with fresh mint, parsley, garlic and lemon, topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds. A healthy vegan appetizer.

Prep time: 20 minutesCook time: 30 minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings: 4 servingsDifficulty: Medium

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This spring mung bean dip is blended with fresh herbs and finished with a scattering of ruby pomegranate seeds, giving it a bright flavor and beautiful color. Serve it as an appetizer with flatbread or as part of a light lunch.

Ingredients

  • 200 g (7 oz) dried mung beans
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 20 g (¾ oz) fresh mint leaves
  • 20 g (¾ oz) fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 50 g (⅓ cup) pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  1. Soak the mung beans in cold water for 4 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse.
  2. Place the beans in a pot with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the beans are soft.
  3. Drain the beans, reserving a little of the cooking water.
  4. In a blender or food processor, combine the beans, olive oil, mint, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and blend until smooth, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water if needed to loosen the dip.
  5. Spoon the dip into a bowl and top with the pomegranate seeds before serving.

Tips

  • Feel free to change the herbs to suit your taste; dill or cilantro also work well.
  • For a tangier dip, add a little extra lemon juice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: about 220 kcal per serving | Protein: 12 g | Carbs: 38 g | Fat: 6 g

healthyspringPersianvegetariandippomegranate

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