This nourishing and filling porridge/soup recipe uses sprouted mung beans and rice, resulting in a delicious and satisfying meal. While this dish is commonly found in traditional Uzbek cuisine, it is typically made with non-sprouted mung beans. However, sprouting mung beans enhances their nutritional content and makes them more easily absorbed by the body.
To sprout the mung beans, rinse them and add warm filtered water and a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar, leaving them to soak for 20-24 hours. Drain the water and rinse the beans 2-3 times a day for another 24-48 hours until sprouted. Use a sprouting jar for easy rinsing and draining.
For the dish, fry the meat in a heat-stable oil before adding sliced onions and water or broth. Add the sprouted mung beans and boil until the meat is tender. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling until the desired thickness is achieved. Top with sautéed onions and salsa or chopped tomato.
By sprouting the mung beans and using high-quality ingredients, this dish becomes a nutrient-dense meal that can be enjoyed any time of day.
How to Sprout Mung Beans Easily
To sprout mung beans, start about 2-3 days before you plan to make your porridge. Rinse the mung beans and pour warm, filtered water over them until the water covers the beans by about 1 inch. Add 1 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar to the water with the mung beans and gently mix. Cover and leave on the countertop for about 20-24 hours.
After 20-24 hours, rinse the mung beans and drain the water. Leave the drained mung beans uncovered or covered with a mesh lid for 24-48 hours until they sprout. Rinse 2-3 times a day until the mung beans sprout. Once they sprout, you can place them in the fridge until you’re ready to make your sprouted mung bean porridge.
To make the process even easier, use a special sprouting glass jar with a wide mouth and a mesh lid. This jar is convenient because it makes rinsing and draining easy. Simply rinse and drain, and then leave the jar uncovered until it’s time to rinse again. You can even drain the water through the mesh lid without opening the jar. When it’s time to rinse, fill the jar with water, and then drain the water through the mesh lid. To remove excess water, you can even turn the jar upside down.
Sprouted Mung Beans and Rice Porridge (or Soup) Recipe
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of dry organic Mung Beans
- 1 cup of organic White Short Grain Rice
- 200 gr of Lamb or Beef (optional)
- 1/2 cup of Unrefined sunflower oil OR Avocado oil OR Coconut oil OR grass-fed Ghee (or any other heat-stable oil)
- 1 medium Onion
- Filtered water (or water and bone broth)
- Sea salt to taste
Topping:
- 1 medium Onion
- 1/2 cup of Salsa or 1 large Tomato
Instructions:
- Start preparing 2-3 days before you plan to make this porridge. Rinse the mung beans and pour warm filtered water over them so that the water covers the beans by about 1 inch. Add 1 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar to the water with mung beans and gently mix. Cover and leave on the countertop for about 20-24 hours. After that, rinse the mung beans and drain the water. Leave the drained mung beans uncovered or covered with a mesh lid for 24-48 hours until they sprout. Rinse 2-3 times a day until the mung beans sprout. When they sprout, you can place them in the fridge until you are ready to make your sprouted mung bean porridge.
- Cut the meat into pieces and fry in a heat-stable oil over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes. If using meat with bones, leave the meat attached to the bone and fry for about 1 minute. Add sliced onions and continue frying until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add about 2 quarts of cold water or broth to the pot. Immediately add the rinsed sprouted mung beans and bring to boil. Boil uncovered until the meat is soft. Add more water if it gets too thick.
- When the meat and mung beans are soft, add washed and rinsed white short grain rice. Add more water if needed. Don’t worry about the extra amount of water because you will boil it down until the desired thickness. The bottom of the pot may burn if there is not enough water. Add salt to taste. Continue boiling until the desired thickness. Mix periodically to avoid the porridge sticking or burning. If you wish to make soup instead of porridge, do not wait until the mixture gets too thick.
- Saute sliced onions in a hot skillet. When the onion is soft and transparent, add the salsa or chopped tomato. Add sea salt to taste. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
- Serve the porridge with the topping on top. Garnish with cilantro or other herbs to your taste.
