Mung Bean Porridge in Coconut Milk

Mung Bean Porridge

Prep time: 60 minutes
Servings: 6-8

While this is a simple and nutritious breakfast recipe, it would also be a healthy dessert option!

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup mung beans, about 7 ounces or 200 grams
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches in length
  • 1 piece ginger, about 2 inches in length
  • 1 cup sugar, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Directions:
  1. Rinse the mung beans in a few changes of cold water, picking through them to remove any stones or grit. Place the beans in a saucepan along with the water, cinnamon stick and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the beans have cracked open a bit but are not mushy.
  2. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Continue to simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
  3. Stir in the coconut milk. Cook until the coconut milk is just heated through, about 2 minutes. Take care not to simmer for too long, or else the milk will thicken too much. Remove the ginger and cinnamon stick from the pot. Ladle the porridge into bowls and serve warm.
Notes:

There are many benefits to including mung beans (and their sprouts) to your diet, especially in the summertime. This relatively inexpensive legume is easy to make and can be eaten either as a sweet or savory meal. According to traditional Chinese medicine, mung beans aid the body in the following:

  • Cooling when there's too much heat in the body (think a very hot summer day)
  • Detoxifying
  • Excellent for long-term weight reduction
  • Cleansing the arteries (mung beans are loaded with fiber!)
  • Providing a magnesium-rich diet to help manage arthritis

Although this recipe calls for a cup of sugar, we encourage you to start with less as you can always add more. Legumes are astringent (absorb water) and can easily take on the flavors that are added.

Enjoy!

Nutrition:

Per serving: 244 calories; 7 g protein; 6 g fat; 42 g carbohydrates; 27 g sugar; 4 g fiber; 80 mg sodium

Recipe source: https://www.seriouseats.com/mung-bean-porridge-in-coconut-milk-recipe