Mung Bean Bread

Ingredients:

• 250g (1¼ cups) whole mung beans, soaked overnight

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing and to serve

• ½ tsp garlic powder or crushed fresh garlic or fresh or frozen cube of wild garlic

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 sprig to decorate

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra to serve

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tbsp)

• 20ml (½ cup) lukewarm water

• Freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Method:

Serves 8-10 slices

Soak the mung beans in water overnight till soft. Drain and divide them into two equal portions. Blend one portion to a soft purée with a dropping consistency. Add the second portion and blend for a few seconds so that you get a rough texture with no whole mung beans remaining. If you have time, leave the mixture for a few hours before baking to encourage further activation of digestive enzymes and increase digestibility. Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan 160ºC/gas mark 4). Add the oil, garlic, rosemary, maple syrup, bicarbonate of soda, salt and lemon juice. Then add the lukewarm water, this will create the bicarb and acid from lemon to foam up, which always feels like a bit of alchemy. When you mix it through it creates a light fluffy texture. Place mixture in a silicone tin or grease a metal tin, sometimes I go for a round cake tin for triangular crispy slices. Or you can go loaf tin and slice once cooled. Bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until lightly brown on top and springy to touch.