Most families in China eat mung beans and use them widely in different recipes, such as mung bean noodles, mung bean cake, mung bean rice, mung bean soup, mung bean desserts and even mung bean wine.
They are also commonly sprouted to make bean sprouts. Mung bean soup is an extremely popular family dish in China during summer.
1. The health benefits of mung beans
A very famous ancient Chinese doctor and pharmacologist, Li Shi Zhen (1518-1593), stated in his book Ben Cao Gang Mu that “mung beans are highly recommended not only as a rich source of nutrients but also as a medicine”.
He described that mung beans can help to clear heat and toxins from the body, balance the organs and skin, and tonify Qi. Mung beans can also improve circulation throughout the twelve channels of the body.
Today, we know that mung beans are low in calories and rich in fibre. They also contain vitamins A, Bs, C, D, E, K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and zinc.
He described that mung beans can help to clear heat and toxins from the body, balance the organs and skin, and tonify Qi. Mung beans can also improve circulation throughout the twelve channels of the body.
Today, we know that mung beans are low in calories and rich in fibre. They also contain vitamins A, Bs, C, D, E, K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and zinc.
Chinese Medicine understands that the external environment has a strong influence on the body.
For example, in a hot climate, the body will absorb more heat from its external environment. If the body cannot release this heat by itself, physical symptoms may occur including: feeling hot and sweaty, red face, thirst, dry skin, constipation, lack of energy, headache and/or dizziness.
Mung beans have been shown to regulate body temperature and prevent heat stroke. Cooked mung bean soup is best kept refrigerated which helps to preserve and increase its health effects.
Drinking two or three cups a day of this soup will help to release the summer heat and rebalance the body’s yin and yang.
During the hot seasons, traditional Chinese medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature which can assist the body to release excess heat and cool down. Ideally, these types of foods should be part of the daily diet during summer.
Mung beans have been shown to regulate body temperature and prevent heat stroke. Cooked mung bean soup is best kept refrigerated which helps to preserve and increase its health effects.
Drinking two or three cups a day of this soup will help to release the summer heat and rebalance the body’s yin and yang.
During the hot seasons, traditional Chinese medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature which can assist the body to release excess heat and cool down. Ideally, these types of foods should be part of the daily diet during summer.
Traditional Chinese medicine texts categorise mung beans as sweet in taste and cooling in nature. Mung beans affect the Heart channel and clear heat and toxins from the skin, and cool heat in the blood.
Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils.
The phytoestrogens in mung beans contain anti-ageing properties that stimulate the production of collagen and elastin which benefit healthier skin.
Furthermore, scientific studies have shown that mung beans provide anti- inflammatory benefits by inhibiting the release of the protein HMGB1, which regulates the inflammatory response.
Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils.
The phytoestrogens in mung beans contain anti-ageing properties that stimulate the production of collagen and elastin which benefit healthier skin.
Furthermore, scientific studies have shown that mung beans provide anti- inflammatory benefits by inhibiting the release of the protein HMGB1, which regulates the inflammatory response.
To benefit skin conditions, mung bean soup should be thick in consistency and consumed at room temperature (see the recipe below).
The proteins, tannins and flavonoids in mung beans are also considered effective for binding to and clearing pesticides and heavy metals like mercury and lead from the body.
2. Mung bean soup recipes
i) Mung bean soup recipe for summer heat and hot weather
This recipe is suitable to clear body heat and prevent heat stroke during a hot summer.
2 handfuls of mung beans 7 cups of water
Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Set the soup aside to cool (once cooled it can also be refrigerated).
Drink this thin soup as required. The beans can also be eaten if soft enough.
2 handfuls of mung beans 7 cups of water
Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Set the soup aside to cool (once cooled it can also be refrigerated).
Drink this thin soup as required. The beans can also be eaten if soft enough.
This recipe can help to clear skin heat and reduce acne and other skin complaints as mentioned above.
2 handfuls of mung beans 4 cups of water
Bring to the boil for 3 minutes in a saucepan, then remove from heat and cover with a lid. Allow the beans to soak in the boiled water for 30 minutes then strain and drink the thick liquid soup.
This process can be repeated once more using the same batch of mung beans.
It is recommended to drink one cup of this soup twice a day in conjunction with regular treatment. Give yourself two days break from the soup after every five days.
2 handfuls of mung beans 4 cups of water
Bring to the boil for 3 minutes in a saucepan, then remove from heat and cover with a lid. Allow the beans to soak in the boiled water for 30 minutes then strain and drink the thick liquid soup.
This process can be repeated once more using the same batch of mung beans.
It is recommended to drink one cup of this soup twice a day in conjunction with regular treatment. Give yourself two days break from the soup after every five days.
3. Precautions and diet advice
Mung beans are generally not suitable for people who have a cold body constitution. Avoid eating mung beans if you have diarrhoea or often experience cold symptoms such as cold hands and feet.
If you are unsure of whether or not mung beans are suitable for you, or if your symptoms persist, please consult with your experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.
Mung bean cake recipes from online:
For the following, replace coconut cream/water with water or milk or half and half, any liquid you like:
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This popular Chinese dessert is a real treat. I love it so much that everytime I visit my parents in Taiwan, I have to pack up my suitcase with it and bring it back to the States. They were so precious that I felt I was eating gold.
It is mashed green bean (or mung bean) filled with mashed red bean (asuki bean). Sounds simple but tastes delicious. Dear Carol shared this recipe on her blog, and I couldn't wait to try it out. It tastes just like the ones I bought from the store! I was so happy. I no longer need to buy them from Taiwan. I can just make them in my own kitchen! I made about 45 of them, put them in a container, and headed to my in-laws'. The weather was in the low 60s and it's raining. Everybody was home doing nothing. We sat around the table, chatting, brewing tea and enjoying this delicious treat. It was such a wonderful afternoon filled with sweet memories.
Red Bean Filling:
12 oz. red beans
cooking oil
sugar
1 Tbsp maltose (optional)
Soak 12 oz. red beans (asuki beans) overnight. The next day, remove excess water, leave just enough to cover the beans. Cook or steam them until soft and easy to mash. Put them in the blender to finely mash them. Add a little water if too dry to operate, one Tbsp at a time. After they are mashed, weight it to get an idea of how much mashed red bean there is. Pour it in a pan, add cooking oil (8% weight of the bean), sugar (20% weight of the bean) and roughly 1 Tbsp of maltose to the mashed beans. Add more sugar if prefer sweeter taste. Stir constantly. Cook until excess water evaporates, and the mashed beans come to form a dough. Be careful not to cook it too dry. Let cool on a plate, the dough will be a little harder when cooled. Divided into 5 grams each.
This is a common filling of Chinese desserts. The leftover mashed red bean can be frozen. Just defrost it in the refrigerator the night before before the next use.
Green Bean Paste:
Soak 200 grams of peeled split mung beans in 400 grams water for two hours. Cook or steam until easy to mash. Use a silicon spatula or a fork to mash the beans, and mix in 5 Tbsp powder coffee creamer. Cook in a pan with 40 grams sesame oil, 20 grams of olive oil, 40 grams sugar and about 1 Tbsp maltose on low to medium heat. Cook until excess water evaporates, and the mashed beans come to form a dough. Let cool on a plate.
The mold is available on Amazon.com. Do not need to butter, spray or flour the mold. Put a small amount of the green bean paste in, make an indent with your thumb, put the red bean paste (5 grams) in it. Flatten it a little, and top with a small amount of the green bean paste. Flatten with your palm or a rolling pin; Remove excess green bean paste if necessary. Knock on one side of the mold first, then the opposite side. The cake should come out easily.
You can also use the madeleine pan or petit fours pan or other silicon cake mold to make it.
If you are unsure of whether or not mung beans are suitable for you, or if your symptoms persist, please consult with your experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.
Mung bean cake recipes from online:
For the following, replace coconut cream/water with water or milk or half and half, any liquid you like:
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Green bean cake ç¶ è±†ç³•
This popular Chinese dessert is a real treat. I love it so much that everytime I visit my parents in Taiwan, I have to pack up my suitcase with it and bring it back to the States. They were so precious that I felt I was eating gold.
It is mashed green bean (or mung bean) filled with mashed red bean (asuki bean). Sounds simple but tastes delicious. Dear Carol shared this recipe on her blog, and I couldn't wait to try it out. It tastes just like the ones I bought from the store! I was so happy. I no longer need to buy them from Taiwan. I can just make them in my own kitchen! I made about 45 of them, put them in a container, and headed to my in-laws'. The weather was in the low 60s and it's raining. Everybody was home doing nothing. We sat around the table, chatting, brewing tea and enjoying this delicious treat. It was such a wonderful afternoon filled with sweet memories.
Red Bean Filling:
cooking oil
sugar
1 Tbsp maltose (optional)
Soak 12 oz. red beans (asuki beans) overnight. The next day, remove excess water, leave just enough to cover the beans. Cook or steam them until soft and easy to mash. Put them in the blender to finely mash them. Add a little water if too dry to operate, one Tbsp at a time. After they are mashed, weight it to get an idea of how much mashed red bean there is. Pour it in a pan, add cooking oil (8% weight of the bean), sugar (20% weight of the bean) and roughly 1 Tbsp of maltose to the mashed beans. Add more sugar if prefer sweeter taste. Stir constantly. Cook until excess water evaporates, and the mashed beans come to form a dough. Be careful not to cook it too dry. Let cool on a plate, the dough will be a little harder when cooled. Divided into 5 grams each.
This is a common filling of Chinese desserts. The leftover mashed red bean can be frozen. Just defrost it in the refrigerator the night before before the next use.
Green Bean Paste:
Peeled split mung bean
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Peeled split mung beans
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Soak 200 grams of peeled split mung beans in 400 grams water for two hours. Cook or steam until easy to mash. Use a silicon spatula or a fork to mash the beans, and mix in 5 Tbsp powder coffee creamer. Cook in a pan with 40 grams sesame oil, 20 grams of olive oil, 40 grams sugar and about 1 Tbsp maltose on low to medium heat. Cook until excess water evaporates, and the mashed beans come to form a dough. Let cool on a plate.
The mold is available on Amazon.com. Do not need to butter, spray or flour the mold. Put a small amount of the green bean paste in, make an indent with your thumb, put the red bean paste (5 grams) in it. Flatten it a little, and top with a small amount of the green bean paste. Flatten with your palm or a rolling pin; Remove excess green bean paste if necessary. Knock on one side of the mold first, then the opposite side. The cake should come out easily.
You can also use the madeleine pan or petit fours pan or other silicon cake mold to make it.
Homemade green bean cakes
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Homemade green bean cakes
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Store-bought green bean cakes
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