This is less of a recipe and more of a combination of healthful ingredients, inspired by a feta cheese and field greens salad that I ate a couple of weeks back at a friend’s wedding.
Being the cheese hater that I am (pardon me cheese lovers!), I adapted it to suit my taste by swapping cheese with my favorite sprouted green grams and including pear, the autumn fruit.
I find sprouting – every aspect of it from cleansing the seeds, to draining the excess water, to wrapping it in wet cloth, to providing the right environment, to be deeply satisfying, almost meditative.
There’s something so magical about sprouting where in we get to witness nature’s most basic visual proof of life and a symbolic of the circle of life in its simplest everyday form..
Through germination, a dried legume acquires such superior nutritional qualities that it transforms itself into a wonder food of sorts in just a matter of couple of days.
No wonder then, sprouting increases the protein content of green grams (or pulses in general), which propels them to come very close to a complete protein as compared to what they are otherwise. It also reduces their flatulence causing properties and are better digested when compared to their raw form. Sprouts contain much chlorophyll and are best consumed fresh than cooked.
You see why sprouts would make an excellent addition to your diet?
May be this is the reason why in most parts of South India, green gram is the legume of choice introduced as the first of solid foods in the form of cereal for babies.
One of my other favorite uses of green gram is in ground form – it is an excellent natural soap for face and body which keeps skin soft and supple without any dryness. For the same reason, it is used for bathing just born babies and yes, I have used it for my little girl too!
Spiced pecans and cranberries give this salad a much-needed twist from the usual. Tartness of the cranberries, freshness and crunch of the sprouts, spicy bite of the pecans and mellow sweetness from pear along with lemon juice and spices makes this salad quite unique. With pecans and pears, this salad screams ‘autumn’ from the rooftop.
Pomegranates are in season, so you could experiment with the red rubies as well. Alfalfa might make a great substitute too, I’ll have to try it next time..
How do you like to eat your sprouts?
Sprouted green gram and Pear salad with spiced pecans and cranberries Recipe
Printable Recipe
Things you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup green gram
- 1 bartlette pear, sliced thin
- 1 carrot, julienne grated
- 2 tbsp pecans
- 2 tbsp cranberries
- extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- ground black pepper
- paprika
- red chilli flakes
- sea salt
- cilantro
Praveena Aradhya says
Yummy!!!!! Sprouted green gram is my all time favorite….would love to try this one…
Manju says
im nuts about nuts in salads!! this is all of autumn wrapped together in a bowl! sooo good and crisp!
Suma says
You don’t like cheese?? I love it and actually wear it on my waist :)) Sprouts are a favorite with me too and the addition of spiced pears and pecans must make this a gourmet salad. Envy you for having easy accessibility to all these! And as always, beautiful pictures!
Radhika says
Suma, envy me as much as you like.. But I’d envy you for hundred other things that I’m missing back home, now even more so as Diwali is just around the corner.. Guess we’re even? 🙂
Sharmilee says
Healthy and yummy salad to start the day
chinamyie @ love food eat says
Looks great! Love the addition of nuts and fruits 🙂 I use green gram sprouts regularly in salads, which is mostly South Indian in style. I also add them while stir-frying vegetables 🙂
kankana says
U don’t like cheese !!! OMG !!! Rad .. i cannot stay without cheese 🙁
As for this post .. i too love sprouted green grams and enjoy it even in sandwich .. gorgeous photos like always 🙂
Radhika says
Kankana, as much as I hate to admit, it is Yes!
But my little girl balances the equation 🙂
Hari Chandana says
Wowwwwww… amazing photos radhika.. awesome job 🙂
Indian Cuisine
Jennifer (Delicieux) says
As always Radhika, a beautiful post!
I’ve never heard of gram, but this salad looks wonderful, and I love anything containing pear. It’s such a wonderful addition to salads, isn’t it?
Radhika says
Thank you Jennifer 🙂
Green gram is the most commonly sprouted legume in India. I’d say as popular alfalfa here is..
Notyet100 says
Very innovative 🙂
Plateful says
Like you, I’m not a big fan of cheese 🙂 The salad looks gorgeous, never tried pairing pears with bean sprouts and nuts. Usually make a stir-fry out of sprouts and occasionally use it in salads. Those photos are oh so beautiful!
Baker Street says
I’m a big fan of cheese! The salad looks absolutely delicious! Lovely clicks radhika!
Roxana GreenGirl says
I don’t think I ever had green gram, but I love using sprouts in my salads. And the pair, such a delicious addition.
Beautiful salad Radhika
Christine says
Hey Foodies, Radhika’s Salad recipe has been selected by Knapkins to be featured in a Recipe Guessing Game. Invite fans to play: http://knapkins.com/guess_games/593?source=blog
swatisapna says
Hey Radhika! Your pictures make your dishes even more mouth-watering 😀 absolutely fantastic clicks… and a very unusual combination of pears and sprouts! must try …
Radhika @ Just Homemade says
Swatisapna,
Welcome to Just Homemade!
Thank you… It is people like you who come about and reassure me with your sweet words that make this blog worth a happy pursuit..
purpleplumcater says
Reblogged this on purpleplumcatering and commented:
This looks so delicious and the photography is amazing.