Mung beans (monggo or munggo in Tagalog language) are tiny green beans that belong to the legume family in the same category as peas and lentils.
It is one of the most versatile ingredients in Filipino cuisine that I know of. You can use it to make soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and even desserts.
I love all mung bean dishes that I grew up eating.
My favorites are mung beans simmered in coconut milk, dried fish, and malunggay (moringa) leaves, munggo ice candy, pastries with sweetened mung beans, and sautéed mung beans, either with dilis (dried anchovies), pork, or shrimps in it.
This recipe is for sautéed mung beans with pork and cabbage. You can substitute any green leafy vegetables for cabbage such as spinach or pechay (Chinese bok choy).
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients: 
1 pound lean pork, cut into ½ inch strips
2 cups mung beans
8 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ medium onion, sliced
1 thumb-sized ginger, pounded
1 pork bouillon cube
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cabbage, coarsely chopped
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Tools You Need:
4-quart sauce pan
Deep skillet/pot
Knife
Chopping board
Procedure:
1. Place mung beans in a 4-quart sauce pan and rinse to remove impurities.
2. Fill pan with 6 cups of water and set to boil.
3. Lower heat to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes or until most of the water has dried up. The beans should puff up. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat skillet/pot and add olive oil. Saute garlic and onions until garlic has brown a little and onions become translucent.
5. Add the pork and salt and cook for 10 minutes or so until it has browned a bit.
6. Add soy sauce and ginger and cook for another minute.
7. Add the pre-boiled mung beans and sauté for about 2 minutes.
8. Add 2 cups of water, bouillon cube, and pepper. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 15 minutes to soften and cook the pork thoroughly.
9. Add chopped cabbage and cook until it has slightly wilted, about a minute.
10. Serve hot.
- 1 pound lean pork, cut into ½ inch strips
- 2 cups mung beans
- 8 cups water
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium onion, sliced
- 1 thumb-sized ginger, pounded
- 1 pork bouillon cube
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cabbage, coarsely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Place mung beans in a 4-quart sauce pan and rinse to remove impurities.
- Fill pan with 6 cups of water and set to boil.
- Lower heat to medium low and simmer for 25 minutes or until most of the water has dried up. The beans should puff up. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat skillet/pot and add olive oil. Saute garlic and onions until garlic has brown a little and onions become translucent.
- Add the pork and salt and cook for 10 minutes or so until it has browned a bit.
- Add soy sauce and ginger and cook for another minute.
- Add the pre-boiled mung beans and sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water, bouillon cube, and pepper. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 15 minutes to soften and cook the pork thoroughly.
- Add chopped cabbage and cook until it has slightly wilted, about a minute.
- Serve hot.
