Filipino · 1 hr · serves 4

Ginisang Monggo (Sautéed Mung Bean Stew, Plant-Based)

Kept by The Bhook kitchen

Ingredients

• 200 g dry mung beans
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 100 g spinach or malunggay leaves
• 1 medium eggplant, diced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• 1 litre water

Method

1. Rinse the mung beans. Put in a pot with 1 litre water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until beans are soft and starting to break apart, 30-40 minutes. Add water if needed.
2. In a separate pan, heat oil over medium. Sauté garlic until just golden, then add onion. Sauté until soft.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until they break down and look saucy.
4. Stir in diced eggplant and cook until just tender.
5. Pour the sautéed mix into the pot of soft mung beans. Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
6. Simmer everything together for 10 minutes, then add spinach or malunggay. Cook just until leaves wilt.
7. When the stew is thick and the greens are bright, it’s ready.

Don’t rush cooking the mung beans. They have to be soft enough to start breaking up, or the stew feels thin.