Mung Bean Soup

Mung bean is a widely consumed legume, eaten with or without its outer skin. Call it green bean or green gram, it is a versatile bean rich in proteins. You will also find red type and split beans of the same in the market.

Mung beans can be prepared as regular dishes, soups, dried snacks, pancakes, etc. While some people serve sweet mung bean soup as dessert, others prefer to have it spicy.

Ingredients

• Mung beans, 1 cup (dried)
• Coconut milk, ¼ cup ( or 1 tbsp. dried coconut milk powder)
• White sugar, ¼ cup
• Vanilla or cardamom pods, 2 - 3
• Water, 4 - 5 cups

Directions
Wash beans thoroughly and drain. In a saucepan, add mung beans, pods, and cover with water. Put on the lid and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes. When beans pop their skin, add sugar. Wait till sugar dissolves completely in the soup and then, turn off burner. Before serving, add coconut milk and serve while still hot.

Ingredients

• Whole mung beans, 2 cups
• Frozen spinach, 10 oz.
• Garlic, 4 cloves
• Onion, ½ 
• Olive oil, 2 tbsp.
• Cooked ham, 2 cups 
• Chilies, 2
• Chicken stock, 3 cups
• Water, 4 cups
• Tabasco sauce (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add washed beans in a cooking pot and pour 4 cups water. Bring it to boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until beans are softened. On another burner, preheat a thick skillet. Add olive oil, and sauté garlic, onion, and chili.

Remove from heat and keep aside. When beans have turned tender (or burst), add chicken broth and boil for 2-4 minutes. To this, add ham, spinach, and cooked onion mixture. If required, add seasonings (salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce). Simmer green bean soup for another 10 minutes and serve.

Ingredients

• Mung beans, 1½ cups
• Onion, 1 sliced
• Garlic, 3 - 4 cloves
• Tomatoes, 2 - 3 
• Pork belly, ½ cup
• Shrimp, 2 - 3 tbsp.
• Shrimp paste, 2 - 3 tbsp.
• Fish sauce, 1 - 2 tbsp.
• Greens, ½ cup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add rinsed mung beans in a saucepan, pour water to cover beans, and put over medium high heat. Bring the mixture to a boiling temperature and cook until soft. Remove from heat and allow beans to soak up water.

Preheat a thick frying pan and fry pork pieces, until crisp or brown (as per your preference). Using a spoon, transfer cooked pork into a platter and return the pan (with oil) to the burner.

Sauté garlic and add onion slices. Sauté till transparent and add tomatoes. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, and add boiled mung (along with cooking water), dried shrimp, and shrimp paste. Bring the mixture to a boiling temperature and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Season the soup with fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well, and add fried pork and greens. Simmer in low heat for 5 minutes and serve hot.

In a plain mung bean soup, the calories present are 156 per serving. Whereas sweet soup prepared from mung beans, coconut cream and sugar yield more than 240 calories. So, you can alter the ingredients of this soup to suit your calorie requirements and taste buds.