Mung Bean Make-Over: Colorful Mung Bean Soup

If you are familiar with mung beans, you might be wondering how exactly can this dish be colorful.  Have you seen a green, mushy beany-lentil looking dish in Indian cuisine?  That's probably mung bean. It's sort of the ugly Betty of beans.   

I realize I am not a good sales gal, but hang with me.

They have an amazing personality, really.

This is my attempt to enjoy mung beans in all their glory and spin a traditional Indian-style soup.  They just need a little make over... AKA some bright orange, diced carrots, radiant red bell peppers and some rich green kale shreddings.  Add some earthy and savory winter warming spices and you have quite a delicious soup.  

Dry mung beans

While mung beans are more cooling compared to other beans, the warming spices added to this soup help balance out the thermal properties a bit.    

                                                                                                                               OK, let me tell you why I would nominate mung beans for Ms. Congeniality (in case it wasn't love at first site): 

• they have a mild and tasty flavor
• they are known for being easily digestible and are gentle on the gut
• according to Ayurveda, they balance across all doshas but are especially good for reducing pitta
• they detoxify the blood and neutralize toxins in the body
• they are an excellent food for maintaining health but even better for recovery
• they make yummy bean sprouts
• they are inexpensive, budget-friendly and high in protein

The recipe for Colorful Mung Bean Soup is below.  I've also highlighted a couple of unique ingredients for your reading pleasure:  Kombu and Ghee.

Dry kombu

This recipe calls for the beans to be cooked with kombu.  This is a sneak peak into my love affair with seaweed (more to come in a future post).  Kombu is in the kelp family.  It's rich in trace minerals and vitamins.  I always toss in a small piece of it when I cook beans since it helps make the beans more digestible and it infuses its savory flavor and mineral-dense goodness into the water and into the beans.  You can fish it out and discard/compost it when the beans are done cooking.  Kombu can be purchased at most any natural foods market.  Eden Foods is the brand I like to use.

Homemade ghee

As I learn more about Ayurveda (the traditional medicine of India and one of the most ancient medicine systems in the world), I've come to appreciate the intentionality of cooking with the energetic and medicinal properties of foods in mind.  I'd like to introduce you to ghee, if you've never met before.


Meet ghee (to the right).


Ghee is much like butter but with the milk solids and saturated fats removed.  It has a multitude of health benefits and is therefore widely used medicinally in food and health preparations throughout India.  Just to name a few: helps build nerve and brain tissue, lubricates connective tissues, good for sexual vitality (that's right), reduces inflammation, etc.  Ghee also works wonderfully with high-heat cooking and imparts a satisfying, sweet and warming flavor.

____________________________________________

Colorful Mung Bean Soup

Since mung beans are not known for their glamorous appeal, I thought I’d spin an Indian-spiced soup by adding carrots, red bell peppers and kale for a bit of a face lift.  This soup is flavorful and wonderfully soothing to the digestive tract.  It’s nourishing all around and serves well over brown rice or with a piece of chapati or naan.

____________________________________________

Preparation: 35 minutes

Serves 4

2 cups dried mung beans

5 cups water

1 2 inch stick of kombu

1 tablespoon ghee

1 large carrot, petite diced

½ red bell pepper, petite diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 cup finely shredded kale

2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon sucanat (optional)

1 tablespoon lime juice

Lime wedges to garnish

Wash beans and drain.  In a large soup pot, combine the beans, water and kombu.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the beans pop their skins.  Skim off any foam and discard kombu when beans are done cooking. 

While beans are cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of ghee.  Add the carrots and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add the bell pepper, garlic, ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, cumin and cayenne.  Stir and then sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add vegetable mixture to pot of cooked beans and stir to incorporate.  Add the kale, salt, sugar and lime juice to the soup.  Stir and cook until kale has wilted, about 3 minutes.  Serve over brown rice and garnish with a wedge of lime. 

Copyright 2011, S. Nester, Original recipe

Call Me Miso

One of my teachers handed me a jar full of broth and 2 containers of miso today, followed by “You look like you could use this…”

Um, thanks? Actually, yes, THANK YOU! Miso is exactly what I need to boost my system right now. I can hardly spell S L E E P let alone get enough of it. I’m feeling run down. My brain is cramping and my eyes scream how tired and overwhelmed I feel. Clearly, it’s finals week.

As I write this, I am sipping on a cup of miso soup. I’m taking a break and just reminding myself to slow down and breathe.
I always keep miso in my fridge. It’s straight up, a medicinal powerhouse. 


Here’s the 101 on miso…


What is miso?
It’s a fermented, thick soy bean paste. It’s typically made of soy beans, rice and/or barley, salt and a bacterial culture called, koji. It’s a staple in Japanese cooking and has been around for about 2000 years because of its belief in promoting longevity through strengthening the body and preventing disease.


How is it made?
The legumes are cooked and then mixed with salt and a cultured grain (rice or barley with the koji bacteria). The mixture is allowed to ferment and typically aged in a wooden vat at ~90°F, from 2 months up to 3 years.


What does it taste like?
There are several varieties of miso that range in color from tan to dark browns; the darker it is the longer it has been fermented. The darker misos (reds, browns) are saltier, more robust and complex in flavor; more savory and pack more nutritional value. The white misos are more mellow, light, sweet and mild tasting and are probably a good place to start.

What are its benefits? 
- excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals- contains living enzymes and friendly bacteria that aid digestion
- intensely nourishing to the gut (a good probiotic source)
- detoxifies heavy metals
- high in anti-oxidants and protects against free radicals
- anti-carcinogen
- alkalizing and helps promote resistance to disease
- strengthens blood and lymph
- strengthens immune system
- may help lower LDL cholesterol
- it’s very grounding and comforting
- slows signs of aging- low in fat and calories
- protects against environmental toxins and exposure to radiation
(microwaves, cell phones, x-rays, CT Scans, nuclear, etc.)
***Research Dr. Shinichiro Akizuki and his studies from the 1945 atomic bombing victims in Japan.


Where do I buy it?
Check the cold section of your local natural foods market. Be sure it’s organic and unpasteurized. If it’s refrigerated, it’ll keep for several years.


How do I use it?
Energetically, the darker misos are better in the colder seasons and the lighter misos are better in the warmer seasons. You can use miso in place of salt or soy sauces; you can add it to marinades, dressings, spreads and dipping sauces.

The most common way is to use miso is to add it to soup or broth: place a tablespoon of miso in the bowls the soup will be served in and add the soup. Stir in to dissolve. Be sure to NOT cook miso over the high heat as this will destroy the beneficial enzymes and health promoting properties. If you desire to add miso to the whole pot of soup, then reserve a ½ cup of the soup in a small bowl and add your miso to that; mix until miso is dissolved and then add the mixture to the pot of soup; only allow to cook over low heat for a minute or so and then remove.

Here is a recipe by Cynthia Lair that I love, Rosemary Red Soup. It has miso in it and is hands down the most gorgeous-colored soup I’ve ever seen! It serves as a lovely entree soup or appetizer. 

Here’s a very basic recipe for miso soup by Heidi Swanson as well. I like to add ginger, garlic and toasted sesame oil to mine and serve over brown rice, which makes for a fabulous breakfast during the colder months.

You can call me miso because I am having a cup of this magic every morning and evening for the next week or so.

Note: Miso can be high in sodium so if there are health concerns, always consult your health provider.