Mung Beans

The mung bean is a small (3 mm), round bean with a thick outer skin that may be green, brown or black in colour. It has a golden yellow or mustard-coloured interior that when cooked, has a sweet flavour and a soft, tender texture that is easily digested.

Also known as yellow mung, yellow split mung, moong dal, green gram or golden gram, mung beans may be cooked and used much in the same way as other bean in pilafs, soups, stews, and dhal. However, they tend to become rather sticky when cooked, so are more commonly ground into flour. Mung bean flour is used as the basis of some Chinese and Japanese noodles, such as the very thin noodle known as bean-threads or glass noodles. The flour may also be used to make breads, puddings and other dishes.

In the West, mung beans are chiefly used to produce crunchy bean sprouts. These crisp, transparent sprouts may be used as a tasty addition to salads, stir-fries, sandwiches and spring rolls. You can grow your own bean sprouts quite easily at home; simply place the beans between two layers of damp cheesecloth and keep in a darkened room for 2 days. Once sprouted, they should be eaten immediately, or alternatively, if they are blanched and placed in ice-cold water, they may be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

When using for cooking, mung beans do not need to be pre-soaked. Whole beans should be simply simmered for 45-60 minutes, whilst skinned and split (moong dhal) will take just 20-30 minutes.