Mung beans, scientifically known as Vigna radiata, are small, green legumes that belong to the Fabaceae family. Originating from India, these beans have become popular worldwide and play as a key ingredient in various cuisines. Mung beans are particularly prevalent in Asian countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Thailand. They are an integral part of the culinary traditions in these regions, featuring in a diverse range of dishes.
Mung Bean Nutrition and its Benefits
Mung beans are not only delicious but also highly nutritious. Here are some key nutrition facts about mung beans:
Protein: Mung beans are an excellent plant-based source of protein. A 200-gram (1 cup) serving of cooked mung beans provides approximately 14 grams of protein, making it a valuable option for vegetarians and vegans looking to meet their protein needs.
Fiber: Mung beans are rich in dietary fiber, which plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy digestive system. A 200-gram (1 cup) serving of cooked mung beans contains about 15 grams of fiber, aiding in smooth digestion and promoting bowel regularity.
Complex Carbohydrates: Mung beans are a great source of complex carbohydrates, providing a steady release of energy. These slow-digesting carbohydrates help maintain stable blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer periods.
Vitamins: This type of bean is particularly rich in folate (vitamin B9), with a 200-gram serving containing around 360 micrograms. Folate is important for cell growth and development, making it particularly vital for pregnant women.
Minerals: Mung beans contain iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Iron is essential for carrying oxygen throughout the body, while magnesium supports nerve function and potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Antioxidants: This legume possesses antioxidant properties, thanks to the presence of compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and vitamin C. Antioxidants help protect the body against harmful free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Low in Fat and Cholesterol: Mung beans are low in fat and cholesterol, making them a heart-healthy food choice.
Low in Calories: Mung beans are relatively low in calories, making them a great addition to weight management diets. A 200-gram (1 cup) serving of cooked mung beans contains approximately 213 calories.
Gluten-Free: Mung beans are naturally gluten-free, making them suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. They can be used as an alternative to gluten-containing grains, adding variety to gluten-free diets.
With a number of precious nutrition, consuming mung beans can contribute to improved digestion, thanks to their high fiber content as mentioned above. Additionally, mung beans have a low glycemic index, which means they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly, making them suitable for managing blood sugar levels. These legumes also possess antioxidant properties that protect the body against harmful free radicals and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Mung Bean Sprout
Mung bean sprouts, also known as green gram sprouts, are young and tender shoots that emerge from germinated mung beans. These sprouts offer their own set of nutritional benefits, making them a popular ingredient in various cuisines. Here are some facts about mung bean sprouts:
- Nutrient Powerhouse: Mung bean sprouts are a nutrient-dense food. They are rich in vitamin C, providing a significant portion of the daily recommended intake in just a small serving. Vitamin C supports immune function, collagen production, and acts as an antioxidant in the body.
- Enzyme Activity: During the sprouting process, mung beans release enzymes that aid in digestion. These enzymes help break down complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, making mung bean sprouts more easily digestible compared to ungerminated beans.
- Low in Calories: Mung bean sprouts are incredibly low in calories, making them an excellent addition to weight management diets. A cup (200g) of raw mung bean sprouts contains only about 31 calories while providing essential nutrients.
- Fiber Content: Mung bean sprouts are a good source of dietary fiber. Fiber promotes digestive health, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and contributes to feelings of fullness, aiding in weight management.
- Antioxidant Properties: Mung bean sprouts possess antioxidant properties, primarily due to the presence of flavonoids. These antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.
Versatile Culinary Ingredient: Mung bean sprouts have a crunchy texture and a mild, slightly nutty flavor. They are commonly used in salads, stir-fries, soups, and spring rolls. Adding mung bean sprouts to your meals not only enhances the taste and texture but also boosts the nutritional value.
How to Cook Mung Bean?
Cooking mung beans is a straightforward process that allows you to enjoy their nutty flavor and nutritional benefits. Here’s a simple guide on how to cook mung bean:
Prep
Rinse the beans: Start by rinsing the mung beans under cold water to remove any impurities or debris.
Soak the beans: Place the rinsed mung beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Allow them to soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Soaking helps soften the beans and reduces cooking time.
Drain and rinse: After soaking, drain the water and rinse the mung beans once again.
Cooking methods
- Stovetop method: Transfer the soaked and rinsed mung beans to a pot. Add enough water to cover the beans, usually around 2 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans become tender. Add more water if needed during cooking. Check the bean by squeezing a bean, if it’s soft and squeezed easily, it’s fully cooked.
- Pressure cooker method: If using a pressure cooker, place the soaked and rinsed mung beans in the cooker with enough water to cover them. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil. Once the pressure valve starts releasing steam, release the pressure and open the lid.
Cooked mung beans can contributes to a variety of dishes, including stews, soups, curries, sweets, congee, mung bean milk, mung bean milk tea, cake, Vietnamese sticky rice cake (bánh chưng), etc. Moreover, mung beans paste is a traditional filling for dumplings, mochi, or moon cake.
Remember to store cooked mung beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Freeze mung beans for longer-term storage.
How to Make Mung Bean Paste?
Rinse and Soak Mung Beans:
Start by rinsing the peeled split mung beans under cold water to remove any dirt or impurities. Then, place the beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Allow them to soak for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This softens the beans and shortens their cooking time.
Cook Mung Beans:
Drain the soaked mung beans and transfer them to a pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the beans until they are tender and can be easily mashed with a fork. This usually takes around 20-30 minutes.
Drain and Mash: Once the beans are cooked, there are several ways to transfer them into a paste.
Method 1: Mashing cooked mung beans. Drain any excess water and allow them to cool slightly. Use a potato masher, fork, or blender to mash the beans into a smooth paste. Combine the mashed mung beans with granulated sugar or salt, depending on the recipe mung bean paste is used in.
Method 2: Using blender. Drain any excess water and allow them to cool slightly. Pour cooked beans into a blender and blend them well until smooth with granulated sugar with your prefered ratio.
Method 3: Simmer until dehydrated. This is the slowest method to make mung bean paste. Drain half of the water in the pot and reduce the heat to low level. Add sugar or salt based on your taste. Use a spatula to gently mash the beans with a bit oil. Let them rest until the water is almost evaporated, then stir continuously not to let the beans paste burnt. When the texture is creamy and without lumps, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Mung Beans in Vietnamese Culinary Art
Mung beans play a crucial role in Vietnamese Cuisine. As a Vietnamese, let me show you some delicious Vietnamese recipes that showcase the culinary potential of mung beans.
- Vietnamese Mung Bean Mooncake: This traditional delicacy features a sweet filling made from mung beans paste as the filling and crust made from flour, sugar syrup and egg yolk. Another variant of mung bean mooncake is piggy mooncake, with the same ingredients but different in shaping.
- Mung Bean Cake: This is a fresh mung bean cake made from only mung bean paste, shaping in a mold such as mooncake press mold.
- Vietnamese Mung Bean Sweet Soup: This delightful dessert, known as “Chè Đậu Xanh,” consists of cooked mung beans simmered in a sweet syrup made from coconut milk, sugar, and pandan leaves.
- Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls filled with Mung Bean Paste (Chè trôi nước or bánh trôi): This traditional dessert is often enjoyed during special occasions, family gatherings, and festivals. It is made by stuffing sweet mung bean paste into a chewy glutinous rice dough.
- Vietnamese sticky rice cake (Bánh Chưng): a square-shaped glutinous rice cake filled with a rich combination of mung beans, pork belly, and fragrant spices, wrapped in layers of banana leaves. Bánh chưng is traditionally made during the Lunar New Year, also known as Tết, and symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and gratitude for ancestors.
There are many more Vietnamese dishes containing mung beans, such as bánh bía (durian cake with puff pastry and mung bean pastes and durian paste filling), Vietnamese green sticky rice cake (bánh cốm, with green sticky rice wrapping mung bean paste inside) and so on.
Incorporating Mung Beans into Your Meals
Mung beans and mung bean sprouts are not only nutritious but also offer a range of culinary possibilities.
Explore the vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine with dishes like mung bean moon cakes, mung bean cake, sweet soup, and glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean. These traditional treats showcase the unique taste and cultural significance of mung beans in Vietnamese culinary traditions.
Furthermore, a wide variety of global cuisines incorporate mung beans. From Indian dals and soups to Chinese stir-fries and Thai curries, the adaptability of mung beans allows you to experiment with different flavors, spices, and cooking techniques.
Whether you’re a vegetarian, a health-conscious individual, or simply someone looking to diversify their meals, mung beans offer a nutritious and delicious addition to your diet. So, don’t hesitate to explore the world of mung beans and discover the countless ways they can enhance your culinary journey.
How to cook mung bean
Cooking mung beans does not waste much time, because this type of bean is cooked quite quickly as compared with other peas and beans.
Materials
- Mung bean (amount based on your preference)
- A pinch of salt (optional)
- Water
Tools
- A pot and stovetop, or
- A Pressure cooker
Instructions
Prep
- Step 1. Rinse the beans: Start by rinsing the mung beans under cold water to remove any impurities or debris.
- Step 2. Soak the beans: Place the rinsed mung beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Allow them to soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Soaking helps soften the beans and reduces cooking time.
- Step 3. Drain and rinse: After soaking, drain the water and rinse the mung beans once again.
Step 4. Cook mung beans using stovetop or pressure cooker:
- Stovetop method: Transfer the soaked and rinsed mung beans to a pot. Add enough water to cover the beans, usually around 2 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans become tender. Add more water if needed during cooking. Check the bean by squeezing a bean, if it’s soft and squeezed easily, it’s fully cooked.
- Pressure cooker method: If using a pressure cooker, place the soaked and rinsed mung beans in the cooker with enough water to cover them. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil. Once the pressure valve starts releasing steam, release the pressure and open the lid.
Cooked mung beans can contributes to a variety of dishes, including stews, soups, curries, sweets, congee, mung bean milk, cake, Vietnamese sticky rice cake (bánh chưng), etc. Moreover, mung beans paste is a traditional filling for dumplings, mochi, or moon cake.