Level Up Your Monggo By Adding Coconut Milk

Monggo is one of Filipino's well-loved dishes. Households would cook this at least once a week because of it's easy and cheap preparation. But same dishes served again and again may be nakakasawa or tiring. Monggo or mung bean is part of the legume family which is largely cultivated around East and Sout East Asia. It is a small green bean that is soaked and cooked commonly with pork or smoked fish called tinapa. Malunggay leaves are commonly added for an extra green. Monggo sprouts called togue are also a common vegetable that is cooked in the Philippines.

Not many understand how the humble monggo can have versatility despite the one dish it's always prepared in. Think of ginisang monggo as a base for recipes. You can mix and match different meats such as pork or fish. Chicharon is always a welcome additive. Leafy greens are part of the monggo dish and you can choose what you would like to use. Malunggay for the classic taste. Kamote or hot pepper (sili) leaves for an extra kick. Spinach can be a great alternative when you're in the States as malunggay leaves are hard to come by. But the next level in upgrading your monggo is adding coconut milk. 

Coconut milk is not the common sweet flavor you get from milk or milk alternatives. It has a sweet yet savory flavor that makes it great for making desserts and Filipino viands. Adding coconut milk to monggo adds a smoother tecture and flavor to the dish. It's so good that you'll be filling up bowl after bowl until you're full! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry mung beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lbs pork, diced
• 1 tomato. sliced
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 pork cube
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3 cups malunggay leaves

Steps:

1. In a large pot, combine mung beans and water. Let it boil over medium to high heat, skimming froth and mung bean casings for 20 minutes.
2. Lower heat and cover to cook for 30 minutes or until legumes have softened. Continue skimming off the scum and shells. Add more water as needed.
3. Heat oil in a new pan. Saute garlic and onion until fragrant.
4. Add tomato and crush to release juice.
5. Add pork and cook until lightly browned. Season a bit with salt and pepper.
6. Add the pork to the pot with mung beans. Add fish sauce and pork cube and cook until pork is tender and liquid is slightly reduced.
7. Add coconut milk and let simmer on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add the malunggay leaves and cook until the leaves are soft.
9. Serve and enjoy!

A similar recipe can be found in Kawaling Pinoy. Ingredients can be sourced from My Tindahan. Photo from Kawaling Pinoy.