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Mung (moong) beans are small, cylindrical beans with a bright green skin. In ayurvedic cooking, they are used whole or, more commonly, split and hulled. Split and hulled mung beans are small and yellow and called mung (moong) dhal in India. These beans don’t need pre-soaking and are a snap to cook to butter-soft consistency if you have a pressure cooker. They can also be cooked in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Sort beans and wash thoroughly before you cook them.

Mung beans are one of the most cherished foods in ayurveda. They are tridoshic–they can be eaten to balance all three doshas, especially when cooked with spices appropriate for each dosha. They are very nourishing, while being relatively easy to digest–they do not generally create abdominal gas or bloating, the drawbacks of larger beans. Persons recuperating are often recommended khichari, a combination of rice and mung beans, because of their ability to provide a good level of nourishment without overtaxing the digestion. They offer the astringent taste.

According to modern nutrition, mung beans offer 14 gms of protein per cooked cup. Mung beans are also a good source of dietary fiber. They also contain thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and copper, and are a good source of folate.

Mung beans can be eaten on their own, or combined with rice to make khichari, or combined with vegetables and greens to make hearty soups or ground into flour to be used to make crepes or added to breads. Turmeric, cumin, dried ginger and coriander are some spices that work very well with mung beans.

Mung beans are available at Indian groceries or health food stores.

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