Filipino Recipe

Ginisang Mungo, by Mae Mercado Sanguer

Mung Beans Stew with Spinach (Ginisang Mungo)

This is a classic Filipino dish.  A great favourite of many.  Almost a mainstay on a meat-free Friday, where the pork belly is substituted with prawns or dried anchovies instead. (In the UK, perhaps some slivers of smoked haddock!)

This recipe caters to Western taste-buds.  The more traditional young sprouts of ampalaya (bitter gourd) might just be too exotic for non-Filipinos.  Also, ampalaya sprout might not be readily available in the west.

Spinach is a suitable substitute and below is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g pork belly, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 200g Baby spinach or kale leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce or salt to taste
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup mung beans

Method of Preparation:

• Rinse the mung beans thorough in running water.  Discard the floaters.
• Using a large casserole pan,  boil the mung beans in the water.  Lower down the heat and leave to simmer until the mung beans green casings have separated and floated on top.  Get a serrated spoon or ladle to remove the casing and then discard.  This is optional, the casing is safe to eat, I just don’t really like them. 🙂 – a personal choice.
• In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil and stir-fry the pork. Cook until golden all over. Remove the pork from pan and set aside.
• Using the same pan, saute garlic, onion, and tomatoes until completely softened into a gooey mess of total goodness. 🙂
• Add the pork and fish sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes.
• Tip the sautéed pork into the casserole of simmering mung beans.
• Add the kale leaves and cook for 5-8 minutes or spinach and cook for 4 minutes.
• Quickly adjust the seasoning and it is all done!

Best served with freshly boiled rice and a side of freshly grilled of fried fish.

Enjoy!