Starfruit Sprout Salad
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
On a recent trip to India where we (or Jody Schmal and I) traveled from Mumbai to Goa to Rajasthan, the last stop was at the capital, Delhi. A grand old city with tombs, temples and minarets mingling with sleek towers, Delhi is known for regional food from all over the country from fancy multi-course restaurants to a variety of street foods. We stayed in a hotel near Connaught place, a commercial and financial hub.
On our last evening, not wanting to partake in a sit-down dinner knowing we had an early morning flight to catch, we walked over to Connaught place and followed our noses to an area where street vendors had set up shop outside a famous temple. Potato cakes crisping up on large pans, pakoras dropping into hot oil in large batches and the ubiquitous chai vendors making batch after batch of sweet chai. The smell of incense intermingled with the scent of fresh rose petals, jasmine garlands, and aromatic spices. We spotted a tiny stand where a small line has snaked up to a man making cold salads with sprouted moong, star fruit and other embellishments. He hand-tossed every salad on little banana leaf boats balanced in the palm of his hands, proudly handing it over to each hungry customer with a wooden stick. Intrigued, we ordered two and I enjoyed it so much, I almost licked the banana leaves! Despite the salad having no added fat, it was superb in flavor and perhaps one of the best bites of our trip.
I have now made this salad at home repeatedly, with different combinations. Star fruit is wonderful in it, but any crunchy raw fruit or vegetable would complement the sprouts. Moong sprouts can be purchased at Asian and Indian grocery stores but do attempt to make your own – it is not difficult, just time consuming. Just like mine, I hope this becomes a refrigerator fixture in your home.