Description
Ginisang Munggo is a comforting Filipino mung bean soup cooked with garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes, and flavored with vegan chicken broth paste and vegan fish sauce. This hearty and nutritious dish is enhanced by malunggay (moringa) leaves, delivering a tasty and nourishing meal perfect for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup dried mung beans
- 8 cups water, divided (plus more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly or diced
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and minced
- 1-inch ginger, grated
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons vegan chicken broth paste
- 1 tablespoon vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 big handful malunggay (moringa) leaves (or spinach), hard stems removed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the mung beans: Sort through the mung beans carefully, discarding any discolored, shriveled beans, rocks, or dirt. Rinse them in cold water until the water runs clear and then drain well.
- Cook the mung beans: Transfer the mung beans to a large pot and add 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes or until the beans have softened and the skins have burst. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in another pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook until tender and aromatic, about 4 minutes.
- Cook tomatoes: Add the diced tomatoes to the aromatics and cook while mashing with the back of a spoon until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
- Combine mung beans and seasonings: Add the cooked mung beans along with their cooking liquid, vegan fish sauce, and vegan chicken broth paste to the pot with sautéed aromatics and tomatoes. Mix well. Add more of the reserved 2 cups of water to adjust consistency as desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add malunggay leaves: Stir in the malunggay leaves and cook for an additional 1 minute until wilted.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the mung bean soup hot for a wholesome meal.
Notes
- Malunggay (moringa) leaves can be substituted with spinach or kale if unavailable.
- Add more water during mung bean cooking to prevent sticking and to achieve preferred soup thickness.
- Vegan fish sauce can be replaced with soy sauce for a different but still umami flavor.
- Soaking mung beans for 1-2 hours prior to cooking can reduce cooking time.
- This dish pairs well with steamed rice for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
