“Mung beans are small dried green beans with yellow flesh. Like all beans, they’re rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron, but they’re mainly grown for sprouting. Mung bean sprouts have long been a familiar ingredient in many Asian dishes. Traditional Chinese medicine maintains that mung beans have a “heat-clearing, toxin-resolving” effect that eases conditions such as diarrhea and painful swelling."

“Beets are a colorful source of anthocyanins, the purple pigments also found in blueberries, red grapes and red cabbage. They are powerful antioxidants and may help protect against cancer and heart disease. This dish brings to mind pickled beets with a grown-up slant. It keeps well in the refrigerator.”