I had never had the savory version of Mungbeans until I started dating my now husband 17 years ago. I had it growing up at my house boiled with rock sugar. I made my own version with tapioca, brown sugar, coconut milk and mung beans (recipe to come soon). It was a dish served often at my Mother in law’s house. This dish is perfect and filling for a cold day; and cooling and satisfy ing on a hot day. Its a good year round soup. I used no salt for this recipe; only fish sauce on the side, right before serving. The richness of the shrimp infused broth is enough to make the dish well rounded enough that it doesn’t need much. I would make a good crock pot soup. It doesn’t take much work. If you don’t have shrimp, you can use pork or chicken too. The way my mother in law made this dish was usually with little pieces of chicharrones (fried pork skin). The salty and crispy addition of the fried pork skin takes this dish to another level of goodness!
Ingredients
1/2 cup of mung beans (optionally saoked-I soaked mine for 3 hours because I had time to)
5 tomatoes cup into quarters
Chinese vegetable-Yu Chou (or 1-2 bunches of spinach)
5-7 cloves minced garlic
1-1.5 lbs or shrimp 30 pcs
1 carton of chicken stock (32oz)
2-3 cups of water
2 tbsp oil
1 onion
Optional: Salt or fish sauce to taste (on the side)
Optional: Chicharrones or fried pork skin (for the topping)
Steps
- Soak mung beans and set aside.
- Stir fry garlic and onion in oil for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in 1/2 of the shrimp (15pcs) and mung beans and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Dump in the water and chicken stock and cook for 40 minutes to one hour.
- Add in the remaining shrimps Chinese vegetables or spinach and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Add the fish sauce and/ or fried pork skin if you would like. Enjoy it over hot white rice!
Do you have a way you look to add beans to your stews? What are some combinations you like? I am always looking for ways to add more beans to our diet. Please share!