An incredibly easy recipe for vegan tahini bread with mung beans and turmeric, perfect for dinner or as a post-workout meal.
It all started on a warm December evening while I was snacking on a thick, toasted slice of buckwheat bread topped with juicy avocado slices (you can find the buckwheat bread recipe here).
I realized I hadn't soaked any buckwheat for a new loaf, so I headed to the kitchen to the jar shelf where I store all my seeds, legumes, and nuts. Distracted by my Instagram feed, I quickly poured a cup of buckwheat into a bowl and covered it with 3 cups of cold water. When I returned to the kitchen a few hours later, I noticed it wasn't buckwheat at all—it was mung beans.
"Never mind," I thought to myself, "let's go with the flow" and see if I can make bread out of mung beans.
First attempt: A total disaster. Not even close to bread.
Second attempt: There's hope! Mung beans can definitely be used for baking.
Third attempt: This little bean is a tricky one!
Fourth attempt: I almost gave up.
Fifth attempt: Success!
That's right! It took five attempts until this vegan tahini bread finally took shape and became a complete recipe that I could stand behind and share with you.
The tahini is what binds the mung bean mass together, while the turmeric provides a stunning yellow color.
Nutritional values per slice: (yields about 20 slices)
71 kcal, 3.8g protein, 2g dietary fiber, 3g fat, 1mg iron
From nutrition consultant and fitness instructor Noam Bechar:
- Mung beans are well-known in Asian cuisine, appearing in everything from stews to desserts and baked goods. Their nutritional composition is similar to other legumes: they are rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and iron. Therefore, they offer great value for heart and vascular health.
A big plus for mung beans is that they don't require overnight soaking as they soften quickly. They are an excellent protein source for vegetarians and vegans.
Tahini – a wonderful source of calcium and iron (but that's nothing new).
Turmeric – a spice attributed with many medicinal properties, especially in Chinese and Indian medicine. The active ingredients are curcuminoids. One of its primary benefits is reducing inflammation in the body. While its medicinal capabilities are sometimes debated in conventional medicine, alternative medicine swears by it—in any case, it certainly doesn't hurt! J
Vegan Tahini Bread with Mung Beans and Turmeric
Ingredients
- 1 cup Mung beans Dry, uncooked
- 3 cups Water
- 6 tbsp Raw tahini
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Level teaspoon
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
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Rinse the mung beans thoroughly in a strainer with plenty of water.
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In a deep bowl, soak the mung beans in 3 cups of water for at least 6 hours. The beans should swell slightly and absorb the water.
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Using a blender, blend the beans thoroughly with the soaking water until a uniform batter is formed and foam appears. (The batter should be completely smooth with no unblended bean chunks.) Add the sugar and mix well.
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Leave to ferment for about 8 hours on the counter, or if the room is very warm, for about 12 hours in the refrigerator.
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Add 6 tablespoons of tahini, half a level teaspoon of turmeric, and the salt. Mix well.
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Transfer the batter to a loaf pan (English cake tin).
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Bake at a medium heat of 170°C for about an hour and a half.
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Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
- Optional add-ins: nuts, pumpkin seeds, or cranberries for color and health benefits.
- You can skip the fermentation stage by adding half a packet of baking powder.
