"Munggo Guisado" (Mung Bean Saute)

Ingredients:

• 350 grams mung bean (munggo)
• 5 cups of water
• 2-3 tbsps vegetable oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 2 large (100 grams) red plump tomatoes, halved & slice thinly
• 4 tbsps fish sauce
• 1-2/3 cup rice wash
• 50 grams pork cracklings (chicharon), this is optional
• a bunch of young moringa leaves (talbos ng malunggay)

Procedure:

In a heavy bottom casserole, put the mung bean. Wash twice. Drain well. Add the water. Cover. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Then, reduce fire to low. Cook until liquid is gone or until seeds burst. This will take probably 20 minutes or a little longer.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

In a large wok, place over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until very limp. Pour in the fish sauce. Cook until it dries up or very fragrant.

By this time, The mung bean is ready. Mash it carefully.

Back to the wok, put the mashed mung bean and rice wash. Mix thoroughly. Cover. Bring to boil. Add the pork cracklings. Stir one more time. Put off the fire. Then, sprinkle the young moringa leaves on top. Cover until ready to serve.

This is usually served every Friday here in the Philippines. I dunno why, maybe because every Friday we should abstain from eating meat as the Catholic teachings say..... whatever! I'm a Catholic but a non-practicing one!

Here in our home, this is best with "Paksiw na Bangus" and tons of warm cooked rice. (though a veggie recipe, malamang... sira ang diet mo! ang sarap sa kanin, grabe! hehe!)

You can substitute bittermelon leaves (dahon ng ampalaya), if you don't have moringa leaves. Or if you are living abroad, spinach will do.

One more thing, To make your this dish really creamy and thick. The secret is cooking the mung bean like you are cooking rice, see step one. Just sharing one of my secret techniques in cooking.

Enjoy!!!