There are certain dishes that take me back to when I was a kid and this recipe is one of them. It’s a simple stew consisting of mung beans, a small green bean native to India and popular in the Philippines for sweet and savory dishes. Mung beans are also where bean sprouts grow from. My mom would always add shrimp and leafy greens or bitter melon to the pot. I had some kale greens on hand which tastes just as delicious in this stew.
You also don’t have to pre-soak the mung beans which makes this recipe much easier. I like this stew a little creamy so I cook it a little longer, but cook to your desired consistency. For a vegetarian option, just omit the shrimp and fish sauce. Monggo guisado is typically served with smoked fish and tomatoes or steamed rice.
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Saute onions, garlic and tomatoes. Add mung beans and water.
Add shrimp and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add greens.
Filipino Mung Bean Stew Recipe
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté garlic and onions in oil for about 3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mung beans and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cover pot. Cook for about an hour or until mung beans are soft to your liking. Add more water if the stew is too thick. Add shrimp and fish sauce to the pot. You may need to adjust the fish sauce to your taste. Stir and cook for about 10 more minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Stir in greens right before serving. Serve with steamed rice.
Total Time: 70 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings
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