Before trying these organic, split mung beans, I had not had mung beans before. They are quite delicious. I will definitely purchase this brand again.
The mung bean (Vigna radiata), is also known as green gram, maash or moong. It is a legume which is mainly grown in East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is traditionally used both in main dishes and in desserts. Such desserts primarily consist of pudding and cake. I have personally only used it in Indian curry dishes.
Mung beans, as is the case with all legumes, are a terrific, healthy source of protein and fiber. One cup of cooked mung bean contains 15 grams of protein (about half of the daily requirement) and 15 grams of fiber (likewise about half the daily requirement).
I have personally found that pre-cooking mung beans before adding them to soups and stews, similar to split peas and lentils, provides much more consistent results in terms of them softening properly. (I also do the same for grains and seeds, such as rice, millet and quinoa, cooking them separately and adding them only after they are fully cooked to a soup or stew.)
Cooking these mung beans is not complicated. I do it the same way I cook lentils and split peas:
1. I pick over the dry, split mung beans carefully, as is standard practice with legumes, to remove any possible tooth-cracking sticks or stones.
2. I soak them overnight in purified water to which I’ve added baking soda. I use a ratio of 1:3 of mung beans to water, so for 1 cup of mung beans, I use 3 cups of water. To that I add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and stir it in well to dissolve and evenly distribute it throughout the water. (Note: It is not technically necessary, as it is for larger beans, such as black beans or pinto beans, to pre-soak split mung beans in order for them to soften more easily and quickly during cooking. However, since a baking-soda pre-soak helps to prevent gassiness, I use it for every type of legume.)
3. The next day I pour the mung beans into a colander to remove the soak water. Then I rinse them well to get rid of as much as possible of the indigestible type of carbohydrate (see below) that causes gas.
4. I place the mung beans in a pot of purified water (if I used 1 cup of dried mung beans to start with, I once again use 3 cups of water). This time I add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. I bring the mung beans to a boil on the stove top, then I simmer them for between 45 minutes and 1 hour. I know they are fully cooked when they are very soft.
Below is some additional information on the cause of gassiness from mung beans and all other legumes, for anyone who might be interested:
Legumes cause gas because they contain alpha-galactosides, which are a particular type of carbohydrate called FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols). These are short-chain carbohydrates which the body cannot digest. They are instead fermented by bacteria in the intestines, in the process producing gas. Non-sensitive individuals are merely embarrassed by the flatulence this gas can lead to. However, sensitive individuals who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) experience more than the social stigma of flatulence. They also endure the discomfort and inconvenience of bloating, cramping pain from overactive peristalsis in the bowels, and the diarrhea that frequently results.
Interestingly, and somewhat sadly ironic to IBS sufferers, many health-conscious individuals purposely pay to purchase oligosaccharides as nutraceuticals. These are marketed primarily as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Prebiotics provide fuel for beneficial, health-promoting bacteria in the intestines. As such they are often offered in conjunction with probiotic supplements.
Though FODMAPs serve a vital health benefit, nutritional researchers have determined that ideally IBS sufferers should only consume foods that have a low FODMAPs content versus a high content. In this way, they can titrate their dietary dosage of prebiotics in order to enjoy their health benefits, while lessening or entirely avoiding their negative IBS side effects.
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