Mung beans continue to become an increasingly popular health food, especially amongst plant-based eaters. Mung beans come loaded with high nutritional content, unique flavoring and plenty of health benefits. Read on to discover more about this superfood and how it can be incorporated into your healthy diet.
What Are Mung beans?
So, what are mung beans? When referring to mung beans, several names are used within the health industry. Green gram, moong and maash can all be used to describe this healthy legume. Today, mung beans are primarily cultivated in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Korea and Southeast Asia. However, they originally derived from Persia (currently Iran) and date back nearly 4,500 years. Like most legumes, mung beans come from a plant, the mung bean plant, which features bright yellow flowers and brown pods, sprouting from a vine base.
Varieties of Mung beans
There are several different varieties of mung beans, each stemming from another place. The two most common forms of mung beans are their whole raw and dried state. Mung beans can also be turned into a paste. Depending on where you are in the world, you'll notice that cultures use mung beans differently. For example, in China, mung beans are used to create a dessert dish known as tángshuî. In South Asia, mung beans are often served whole or boiled and served with rice gruel.
Additionally, in western civilizations, mung bean sprouts are becoming an increasingly popular way to enjoy this nourishing legume. Sprouts are used in several different ways. They're boiled into stews, included in recipes, and even used to create a healthy sandwich. As the mung bean seeds germinate, they release even more nutrients, making them a great addition to a plant-based diet.
Health Benefits of Mung Beans
It's no secret that legumes are great for you. Legumes are associated with a vast number of health benefits, and mung beans are no exception. Aside from being great for you, mung beans are also an incredibly diverse ingredient, which makes them a superstar food in many plant-based recipes. Keep scrolling to discover the unique set of health benefits mung beans have to offer.
Mung Beans Are Loaded With Nutrients
It's no surprise that mung beans have quickly risen in popularity, their nutritional content is nearly unmatched! In addition to being an excellent source of fiber, they’re also a good source of iron and potassium.
How to Cook Mung Beans
Now, to answer the burning question, "how to cook mung beans?" If you've found a bag of mung beans at your local grocery store and are wondering what you can do with them, keep scrolling as we walk you through various ways to cook this legume.
There are several different instructions for cooking mung beans on the internet. Here at Bob's Red Mill, we're confident saying that we've tried them all, which has led us to the two preferred cooking mung beans methods below.
Cooking Mung Beans on the Stovetop
Why save the best for last? When it comes to cooking mung beans, our preferred method is to cook them via stovetop. Not only are many cooks familiar with stovetop cooking, but it's also an incredibly straightforward method. Here are a few reasons we love cooking mung beans on the stovetop.
It Doesn't Require Preparation
When cooking your mung beans on the stovetop, they don't require any soaking in advance. This means less work for you!
It's Quick
Cooking mung beans on the stovetop is quick. In fact, mung beans can be fully cooked in about thirty minutes.
It's Hard to Mess up
Cooking mung beans on the stovetop gives you better visibility of your beans at all times. This means that you can keep an eye on them and remove them from the heat when you notice they're getting too tender.
Mung Bean Stovetop 101
To cook mung beans on the stovetop, start by rinsing your beans before cooking. Next, place one cup of beans in a large pot with three cups of water and one teaspoon salt. Lastly, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender. In just thirty minutes, your mung beans will be cooked to perfection. Before eating, drain well and enjoy!
Slow Cooking Mung Beans 101
While slow cooking can be relatively slow, we love it because it allows your mung beans to take on a more tender texture than the stovetop will enable. Using a slow cooker also permits you to apply the "set it and forget it" method, meaning that you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time checking off your to-do list. Like cooking mung beans on the stovetop, you'll want to rinse the beans before cooking. Once thoroughly rinsed, place one cup of beans, three cups of water, and one teaspoon of salt into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for three hours or high for one and a half hours. Drain well before serving.
How to Sprout Mung Beans
Aside from cooking mung beans, you can also sprout them. As we mentioned earlier, sprouted beans have some pretty impressive health benefits of their own, especially when it comes to mung beans. Mung bean sprouts are incredibly popular in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine and are cooked in various ways. From noodle soups to dumpling fillings, the crunchy texture of mung bean pairs well with countless dishes.
Incorporating mung beans into your diet is a great way to boost your nutrition. Low in calories and high in protein, they're the perfect ingredients to eat with nearly anything. If you're interested in sprouting mung beans at home, use the simple steps we've listed below.
- Rinse the mung beans in water until the water runs clear.
- Next, place your mung beans in a bowl or jar and add water. Once the water is added, cover the jar with clean cloth or mesh and leave it to soak at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
- Drain and rinse. Repeat draining and rinsing every 8 to 12 hours. Leave your mung beans in low light between rinses.
- Repeat for 2 to 3 days for little sweet sprouts for 4 to 5 days for bigger sprouts.
- When they are ready, place sprouts in a bag or sealed container and keep refrigerated. They will remain fresh for 7 to 10 days.
Mung Bean Recipes
Ready to put your mung bean cooking skills to the test? Try out some of our favorite recipes below for a real treat.
Mung Bean Dip
Now that sports are beginning to start back up, you'll need a new game-day dip to impress your guests with. If you're a fan of hummus, then you'll love this creamy superfood dip. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients like mung beans, tahini and lemon juice, this Mung Bean Dip is a nutrition-packed dip that you can pair with just about anything. Veggies, pita chips, sandwiches, you name it! This bean dip is wheat-free and vegan, making it safe to eat for specific food allergies.
Mung Bean Dosas
This Mung Bean Dosas recipe makes it possible to eat pancakes for lunch and not feel guilty afterward. Though they may not be the kind of pancakes you're used to eating. A dosa is a rice-based pancake created in South India. Dosas are made from a fermented batter, that when cooked, slightly resembles a crepe.
This Mung Bean Dosa recipe will help you create a savory, Indian style flatbread that is ideal for dipping or rolling. Both sweet and savory, these dosas will taste great with nearly anything you pair them with.
We hope that this article has inspired you to look past the unique name and try out all of the fantastic benefits of mung beans for yourself. From cooking mung beans on the stovetop to sprouting the seeds in your kitchen, there are numerous ways that you can enjoy this superfood. Have a favorite mung bean recipe of your own? We'd love to hear about it. Let us know how you cook with mung beans in the comments below! From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a happy and healthy day!
