Mung beans

No: rinse them, pick out any debris and simmer them straight away. Soaking for a few hours can shorten the cooking time, but it is not essential.

Simmer rinsed mung beans in plenty of water for about 30–40 minutes, until tender; soaked beans may be ready sooner. Add acidic ingredients such as tomatoes or vinegar towards the end, as they can slow softening.

Cool them promptly, then keep them in a covered container in the fridge and use within 3–4 days. Freeze portions if you want to keep them longer.

Use them in soups, stews and curries, or mash cooked beans into a thick dal. They also work well with rice, ginger, garlic, cumin and coconut milk.

Yes. Soak the beans, drain them and rinse and drain them regularly while they sprout; keep them in a clean container away from direct sunlight. Raw sprouts can carry harmful bacteria, so cook them thoroughly before eating, especially if you are serving someone more vulnerable to food poisoning.

Yes: green or brown lentils are a useful substitute in soups and stews, though they have a firmer texture and may take a different time to cook. Red lentils soften and break down more, so they suit thick dals.

No. Mung beans are the dry seeds; mung bean sprouts are the young shoots grown from them. Per 100 g, mung bean sprouts have 33 kcal and 3 g of protein, while mung beans provide 56 kcal and 5.7 g of protein.