Mung Bean Pancakes with Mustard Sauce and Mango Kale Avocado Salad

Mung Bean Pancakes with Mustard Sauce

I think Valerie’s gonna like this post!

Why? Because mung bean pancakes and mango kale avocado salad are both signature dishes at Café Green, the highly imperfect, yet deeply loveable little vegan restaurant here in Washington’s Dupont Circle, where you’ll often find me having dinner with friends (most recently, a fun evening with Brendan). Of all of the dishes on that menu, the mung bean pancakes (served with a sweet mustard sauce) and mango kale salad are certainly two of my favorites, though I’m leaning lately toward the raw pizza and beet n’ berry salad. Anyway, I digress: I first fell in love with mung bean pancakes at CG, and I’ve wanted to make them at home ever since.

These gave me the perfect excuse:

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Sprouted mung beans from Tru Roots. I found these at Whole Foods and seized them as my chance to explore the world of mung bean pancake batter, and I’m so very glad that I did.

These pancakes are many wonderful things. They are thick and filling. They are supremely rich in plant-based protein, due a chickpea flour and bean base. They are easy to prepare, impressive to serve, and—since they’re made entirely without glutenous flours—they are also gluten free (and soy free), for my friends with allergies. And they are, most importantly, very tasty.

Most recipes for mung bean pancakes are made similarly to this one: you soak split mung beans in water and blend them up to create a batter. The cool thing about my sprouted mung beans is that they only require 5 minutes of cooking time, and they’re sprouted well enough to be soaked and eaten directly (if you’re a strict raw foodist). This meant that I only soaked them for an hour; if you are making this recipe from regular split mung beans (which will be cheaper), you should soak them overnight.

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Off we go.

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Mung Bean Pancakes with Mustard Sauce (Vegan, Gluten and Soy Free)

Makes 12 large pancakes, or 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups mung beans, soaked 8 hours (less if they’re sprouted)
2 cups water
2/3 cups chickpea flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp tamari
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 small (or 1/2 large) chopped onion
1 small chopped bell pepper

1) Placed soaked beans, water, flours, and baking soda in a good blender and blend till totally smooth. If the batter is too thin, add a little flour; if it’s too thick, add some water. You want a thick but easy to pour consistency, just as you’d want for regular pancakes, but maybe even a touch thicker.

2) Transfer batter to a large bowl. Add tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, agave, onion, and peppers.

3) Heat a large skillet to medium/high, and drop batter by 1/3 cup heaps. Cook till you see bubbles on one side of the pancake; flip, and cook some till second side is golden brown. Serve with mustard sauce, below.

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Sweet mustard sauce (vegan, gluten free with right mustard)

Makes about 1/4 cup

3 tbsp stoneground mustard (look for a gluten free variety if this is a particular concern for you)
1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1) Whisk all ingredients with a fork, and pour over pancakes.

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Mango Kale Avocado Salad (raw, vegan, gluten and soy free)

Serves 2-4

1 bunch curly kale, de-stemmed, chopped, washed, and dried
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 tsps flax oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 cup mango, cut into small cubes
1/2 large avocado cut into cubes

1) With your hands, “massage” the lemon juice, flax and sesame oils, agave, and salt into your kale till it is wilted and nicely coated. Taste the kale–what does it need? I usually add extra lemon, but feel free to add a little more oil, salt, or sweetness, too.

2) Mix in the pepper, mango, and veggies. Toss well to combine. Serve with pancakes!

Just look at all of that vibrant color!

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Yum!

This is such a delicious lunch or dinner—the tastes and textures are perfect together, and the meal is filling without without feeling heavy in the slightest. The salad is a little summery, but I actually love summery flavors in winter (don’t hate me, strict locavores!). They’re like a little burst of sun. I can’t wait to make this meal again.

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So on that note: exam #1 is over. One down, two to go. Ready, set, study!

xo

PS – Don’t forget that my Alo yoga giveaway ends Weds. And tune in for another incredible holiday giveaway tomorrow!

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Categories: Pancakes & Waffles, Vegan Basics
Ingredients: Kale
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free

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    44 Comments
  1. Thanks for the recipe! When you say 1 1/2 cups of mung beans, do you mean before or after soaking?

  2. It took me ages to buy the mung beans, and then to soak them, but it was worth the wait! I’ve never made savory pancakes before, and i think i’m in love… next up, that tasty kale salad with mmmmm mangoes! Thanks Gena =)

  3. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe hun! I have the exact mung beans you bought and was trying to think how to use them! I also bought the truRoots sprouted green lentils which are amazing!

  4. You and I must be on the same page here except that you are one step ahead of me. I just got home from a grocery trip where I couldn’t resist picking up a bag of those sprouted mung beans after I noticed them on the shelf. The problem was that I had no idea of what to do with them. I quick google search turned up this blog post and I felt so relieved, “Thank goodness, Gena will know what to do!” I’m going to make these pancakes tomorrow with sautéed kale and mushrooms. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  5. Your mung bean pancIake recipe looks awesome! But, I wanted to add a simpler and also delicious method (the traditional way). Use your blender to grind sprouted mung beans (or whole mung beans soaked over night and drained) and water into a fine paste. The ratio is about 2 cups sprouted or 3/4 cup dried mung beans soaked to 2 cups of water. The paste should be thick like pancake batter. Add salt to taste and fry up. You can also use split and hulled mung beans, available at asian stores, and these need soaking too, but make a rich yellow colored pancake (like vietnamese style bean crepes).

    I love making these for guests. They’re so hearty and elegant, no-one knows they’re so healthy and everyone (kids included) have a satisfying meal.

  6. What a beautiful salad! I finally had a successful kale endeavor (thanks to your video), now I can’t wait to massage this one up too. And the pancakes remind me of scallion pancakes, my boyfriend’s favorite. I bet I could get him to try these!

  7. Hey Gena –

    I didn’t want this congrats to get lost in the sweepstakes post, but just wanted to send a huge kudos your way for the Oprah Mag. interview…awesome job!

    (Hope your exam went well!)

    xo,
    Karen

  8. I have regular (bulk bin) mung beans on my counter – how can I use them in this recipe? I’d love to make these pancakes but would rather use something I already have on hand – they sound great!

    Also, while I can understand the mango-love – as one with a tree in the yard, the one you have looks so anemic! I can only imagine what you might do with a recently picked, tree ripened one. I love the ones that I have – the juice just drips out when trimming them up – they’re amazing. The salad looks great come next August when I can get my hands on them again.

  9. Awesome! I bought mung beans recently but haven’t done anything with them yet. And, I’ve been in a pancake kind of mood lately. Thanks for posting!

  10. you are messing with my brain putting mustard on pancakes and mango in salad. but in a good way. i love the idea of a savory pancake and of course bucketloads of thanks for making it gluten free!

  11. Dense, savory pancakes with a sweet, slightly spicy topping – what a great idea! I’ve always thought pancakes were much better for dinner since they tend to put one into a sugar/wheat coma, but these are way less likely to cause a heart attack 🙂

  12. Oh, I discovered those sprouted mung beans a few months ago and have been sort of obsessed with them ever since. They are such a convenient alternative for adding a whopping 10 grams of protein to a meal – 5 minutes on the stovetop! Love them on fresh salads!

  13. yum! mung beans (and lentils) are about the only things I remember to sprout anymore (it is super easy and only requires a jar and and cheesecloth/paper towel- do a google search if interested) but I get tired of putting them in my salads and sometimes they end up spoiling before I find uses for them so this is a perfect inspiration to waste no more! thanks!

  14. That salad looks amazing. I’m not feeling it right now, but I’ll hang onto the recipe for annual spring mango craze, when I eat at least a case of mangoes a week, all by myself.

  15. I’ve been dipping my toe into savory pancake recipes recently, and these seem great, and a nice change from my usual stuff. Thanks for sharing and best of luck on your exams!!

  16. I love the mung bean pancakes at Cafe Green too! I’m so excited to have a recipe to make them at home. Thanks! I’m also a fan of truRoots. I use many of their products and have always been happy with them. I have some mung beans in my cabinet that I used for a raw dish over the summer. I’m pulling them out to make pancakes this weekend!

  17. How, just HOW did you know that I have a box full of mung bean sprouts that in my fridge that desperately need using up? 🙂 This will definitely be today’s lunch. Good luck with the rest of your exams!

  18. I know I’m very unlikely to make the pancakes (though I’d love to try them if someone else had all the ingredients on hand 😛 ) but I can, and know I’ll love, that easy mustard dressing!

  19. This looks super appetizing! I am definitely going to make this after Xmas, when I am back in CA and can get mung beans! I have never eaten anything like this and I love trying new foods! I wonder though – do you think these pancakes would freeze well? You mentioned several posts ago you were going to do a few more freezer friendly recipes and since you made such a big batch I was wondering if you froze these, and if so, how it went. Good luck with the exams!

  20. Good luck with the next two exams!

    I guess these pancakes are not that far removed from socca! I’ve never really eaten pancakes, but everything about those sounds appealing. The gorgeous colors of the salad, and also through your window outside appeal too! (It’s been so dark up here…)

  21. Great flavor combinations, I need to try the pancake recipe soon. It’s been too long since I’ve had them and this looks fabulous. I need to look for the sprouted mung beans on my next Whole Foods trip!

  22. So…When is the release date for the Choosing Raw cook book? You could even do an e-book, and make monies for med school whilst you sleep!

  23. Ive had the same beans in my pantry. Thx for the recipe.

    PS I see you’re now on fb?! Yay!

  24. Perfect timing – smack dab in the middle of mango season in Australia! Mangos are high in FODMAPs, but I might have to make an exception for this salad…and the pancakes, too!

    Btw, I have eaten two Gena-inspired meals today and I wanted to say thank you! I had your pepita strawberry smoothie for breakfast and a millet, kale and yam burger for lunch! Both amazingly delicious. I am especially digging the burgers with a peanut sauce/dressing.

    Good luck on the rest of your exams!

  25. Good luck on exams!

    I am convinced that mung beans are the most amazing food every – full of protein, fiber, vitamins; easy to digest; and ayurvedically speaking “balancing”. Though, I have to admit Cafe Green’s pancakes were a little bland, yours look amazing (as does the salad, despite being summer!). I’d love to see you take on their raw pizza!

  26. Love love love. Totally my kind of meal too. I have a mix from truRoots, which has azukis, mung beans and lentils, so I am going to try the recipe with those (though I will be procuring the plain mung beans too eventually!)

    I agree about liking summery flavors in winter. I think that’s why the lentil and broccoli salad (from GF SCD Veg) appealed to me so much last week. Super lemony and the parley just kicked up the summery flavors.

  27. I am very excited to try these, especially since I have chickpea flour that I have been trying to use up! The sweet mustard sauce sounds delicious and overall it looks like a hearty meal with the comfort of a breakfast food too.

  28. Good luck with the rest of your exams! You will rock them no matter what.

    I sort of cocked my head to the side when I saw “pancakes” in the same sentence with kale and mung beans, no lie, but after reading this these do look really yummy! And I’m all for high – protein things, too.

  29. This whole meal looks delicious! I will definitely pick up the sprouted mung beans next time I’m at the store. Are there any other flours I could sub for the brown rice flour? It’s the one flour I don’t happen to have but if it’s necessary for this recipe I can certainly buy some. Do you think these will reheat well in the toaster? That salad sounds amazing, some of my favorite ingredients.

  30. Good luck with the next two exams!

    The pancakes…these are the most creative use of mung beans I’ve ever seen! wow!

    The Sweet mustard sauce = my kinda sauce. Simple, no garlic/no onions, sweet with a kick. Perfect.

    And the mango kale salad…yum! Everything goes better with mango. The TJs frozen mango chunks are a staple on my list, always.