Mung bean balad with star anise and lime

This was good, but oddly titled, since there is no garlic in the recipe. Did they mean scallions? Raw garlic might be a little strong. The carmelized sugar and lime juice wasn't as intense on the salad as I thought it would be, even with the juice of 2 limes. I would probably double the sugar and use 4 limes next time to make it more interesting. The anise taste was strong, but not overpowering.

Mung Bean Salad with Star Anise, Garlic and Lime

1 cup dried mung beans
2 tbl. sugar
4 star anise pods
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbl. canola oil
2 scallions, greens and whites, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
4 heads Belgian endive, ends discarded and shredded

Place beans in colander, rinse, and pick over them. Put beans in large stockpot, cover with cold water, and soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain beans.

In a large, heavy pot, cover the beans with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface when the water reaches a boil. Cover and cook for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender, skimming the surface occasionally to remove any scum that rises to the surface. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold running water to cool.

Cook the sugar, stirring constantly, in a heavy skillet over low heat until it dissolves and caramelizes, about 3 min. Add the star anise and lime juice and stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Place the mung beans in a large bowl. Add the caramel mixture, then the oil, scallions, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and let cool to room temperature. Remove the star anise. Serve the beans on shredded endive.

From Grains, Rice & Beans (found at Just Vegetable Recipes)