Ginisang Munggo (Mung Bean Soup)
Ginisang Munggo is simple yet delicious soup made with mung beans, chicken, tomatoes, celery and malunggay leaves. Tasty, thick, hearty and affordable meal that can satisfy a large crowd!
Equipment
- deep pan and wooden spoon
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 300 grams munggo (mung beans), uncooked
- water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 500 grams chicken breast, chopped
- 2-3 stalks celery stalks
- 3 large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cups malunggay/ moringa leaves
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the beans thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly.
- If presoaking mung beans: In a deep pan, pour water over the beans about¾ of the pan. Let it soak for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
- In a deep pan, pour water over the beans about ¾ of the pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping off any foam that rises to the top
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes to an hour (this can be less using pre-soaked beans), or until the beans have softened and the skins have burst. Add more water as needed to keep enough liquid.
- Optional: If you want a thick soup, you can mash the mung beans at this point as they are softened. Using the back of your spoon, mash the beans against the side of the pan. Do this until you reach your desired consistency.
- In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the oil. Sauté garlic and onion until soft and fragrant.
- Add chicken and cook meat turns white in color and slightly cooked, around 3-5 minutes.
- Put-in celery, tomatoes, fish sauce and ground black pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes releases its juices and can be easily mash, around 3 minutes. Mix while smashing the tomatoes with the back of the spoon.
- Pour enough water to cover the chicken and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken meat gets tender.
- Add the cooked munggo and stir to incorporate. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add water if it is too thick.
- Combine the malunggay leaves and mix well. Taste and season with salt and ground black pepper as needed.
- Turnoff the heat and cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the leaves with the remaining heat.
- Serve with rice while hot.
- Share and enjoy!
Notes
Cooking tips and substitution
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Please treat this as nutritional guide.”
- Do not skip putting in tomatoes and celery. These two, in my opinion, make a significant impact in the overall flavor of the dish. Tomatoes give flavor to the dish with their natural acidity and sweetness. Aside from being healthy, celery helps to mask the meat's unpleasant odor and flavor.
- For added nutrition, you can add vegetables like bitter gourd or malunggay drumstick (moringa fruit).
- You can substitute malunggay leaves with chili leaves, edible tips of bitter gourd (talbos ng ampalaya), edible tips or flower/blossom of squash (talbos at bulaklak ng kalabasa), sweet potato tips (talbos ng kamote), water spinach (kangkong), spinach, lettuce or Jute leaves (dahon ng saluyot).
- You can either chopped or minced the chicken meat or substitute pork or any seafood you prefer (usually shrimp or tahong). You can also leave out the meat if you want it to be vegetarian.
- Pre-soak the mung beans to cut the cooking time and save some of your cooking gas or electricity energy.
- Look at the package's expiration date. Cooking and softening older beans takes longer.
