Magical Mung Bean Soup

The first time I heard about the magical powers of mung beans was during the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) scare. In 2002 and 2003 an outbreak in Hong Kong nearly became pandemic. I was living in Cambodia at the time and fear of SARS was extremely contagious and rapidly spreading throughout Cambodia.

So one night during this time we were woken up by a commotion, which in itself wasn't that unusual in the crowded streets of Phnom Penh. However, the next morning we were told to eat our mung beans, if we could still get any. Confused my husband and I went left for work, hoping our translators could help solve the mystery of the mung beans and the commotion.

This would have been the early days of viral texting. Some one had started a rumor that if you ate mung beans you would be safe from SARS. The mung bean sellers at the market opened in the middle of the night to cash in on the rumor (selling them far above market price of course). People flocked to the markets causing the commotion. By the end of the night there was not a mung bean left in all of Cambodia.

Since then I have read about the magical and healing properties of mung beans. In Chinese medicine it is considered detoxifying and heat dispersing. It is used for a range of things from prickly heat to dysentery to poisoning from heavy metals. In Ayurveda mung beans are considered the most nutritious and easiest to digest of all beans and pacifying for all doshas (body types). There are even cleanses that require you to eat only kitchari - porridge made from mung beans and rice. I have also seen it recommended every other day for general health maintenance.

While this isn't kitchari is a yummy soup that goes well with rice or quinoa.

2 cups dried mung beans
6 cups water
1 can coconut milk
2 large tomatoes chopped small
1 tbsp coconut oil
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 inch fresh ginger finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp black mustard seed
salt to taste

Rinse mung beans and put in a bowl cover with water. Soak in fridge over night. After soaking rinse and set aside.

In a large pot on medium heat put the coconut oil, when hot add mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop add the ginger, cumin, corriander and tumeric, saute for a couple minutes until fragrant. Add  tomatoes, water and mung beans. Bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes or until beans are soft. Add lemon juice and salt and then simmer for another 5 minutes.

So, you're probably wondering if we ate our mung beans that day in Cambodia ... of course!