Mung Bean and Onion Salad

MUNG BEAN AND ONION SALAD | MAŞ PİYAZI
Region: Gaziantep, Southeastern Anatolia

This dish is known as maşik or maşk-e in and around Southeastern Anatolia. It is also made as a standalone meal.

Ingredients

• 120 g mung beans (2/3 cup / 4 oz), soaked overnight

• 1/2 tsp dried chilli (red pepper) flakes 

• 1 tsp ground sumac

• 100 g walnuts (1 cup / 3 1/2 oz), roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil 

• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

• 2 spring onions (scallions)

• 2 fresh (green) garlic

• 2 fresh mint sprigs

• 10 flat-leaf parsley sprigs

• 4 fresh basil sprigs

• 2 fresh tarragon sprigs

• 100 g (1 1/4 cups / 3 1/2 oz) pomegranate seeds 

For the dressing:

• 2  fresh (green) garlic

• 4   spring onions (scallions)

• 50 g (1/2 cup / 2 oz) unsalted green olives, pitted, finely sliced

• 1 fresh red chilli (chile)

• 2 tbsp olive oil 

The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren

Directions

Drain the soaked mung beans, then cook in a pan of simmering water until soft, about 25 minutes. Drain.

Put the cooked mung beans into a large bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt along with the dried chilli (red pepper) flakes, sumac, walnuts, olive oil and pomegranate molasses and gently combine.

To make the dressing:

Finely slice the fresh (green) garlic, spring onions (scallions), olives and the fresh chilli (chile). Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the sliced fresh (green) garlic, spring onions and chilli and cook for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely slice the spring onions, fresh (green) garlic, mint, parsley, basil and tarragon. Pour the warm dressing over the mung bean mixture, then add the sliced spring onions, fresh (green) garlic, mint, parsley, basil, tarragon and pomegranate seeds. Toss gently and serve.