Sesame Mung Bean Salad

I am very enthusiastic about mung beans. They are cheap, healthy, quick and cute. I made up this easy green salad some time ago and eat it often. It's also packable and portable, for when the acoronauts visit castles or go on bike rides.

Ingredients:

• 1 teacup dry mung beans (mung Bohnen)
• 1 bundle or bag fresh, spicy arugula (Rucola)
• 1-2 tablespoons sesame oil (toasted or cold pressed)
• 1-2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce to taste
• *Optional 1-2 slices wild salmon lox (for the environment & your own health, avoid aquaculture salmon) 
• *Optional sesame seeds
• *Optional walnuts

The mung beans (Mung Bohnen) were purchased at Hit, but can also be found in Asian Markets and Bio markets. Fresh Rucola can be purchased at Hit, or better at the open market in downtown Bonn. For the salmon I ventured into the chiki miki world of Galeria Kaufhof (good for buying fancy things from artisinal gin to Norwegian licorice fudge and oddities such as Kraft macaroni & cheese).

Directions:

Mung beans cook very quickly and do not need to be soaked. Measure 1 acora Hotel teacup of mung beans. Carefully sift the beans from the teacup into your hand and then into a small pot, removing any small mung-bean sized pebbles you find. Cover with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.

The mung beans will cook quickly, within 25-35 minutes. Watch the beans as you would watch pasta. Do not overcook! You want your mung beans al dente. Mushy mung beans make for a sad salad. When the beans are cooked but still toothy, drain (perhaps with the help of a lid and some bathroom towels, as Chris suggested). Rinse with cold water, drain again. Allow to sit in the fridge to cool about 5-10 min.

Rinse the Rucola and drop in a salad bowl. When the beans are cool, season with the sesame oil and tamari sauce to taste. Stir gently to distribute the seasonings. Add mung beans to the Rucola. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have 'em. If you like, top with strips of wild salmon lox. A vegan alternative would be to top with toasted walnuts, smoked tofu or grape tomatoes.