Mung bean (Chinese Green Bean) soup is a traditional soup dessert in China, but we have different options for cold and hot days. In summer, you can find the packaged ones in almost every freezer of the street store or freshly stewed ones in hot pot restaurants. Mung bean is believed to be beneficial to the human body as it can help to reduce the hotness because of the cold attribute.
What are mung beans or Chinese green beans?
Mung beans, known as Chinese green beans due to their green skins, are commonly used in lots of Chinese soups and desserts. Sometimes, they can be used as a side ingredient in a congee or porridge or they can be the primary ingredients like mung bean cake and this mung bean soup. It has other names too for example luk dau sa (绿豆沙) or lu dou tang (绿豆汤) in Mandarin.
Mung beans are believed to have a cool attribute in traditional Chinese medicine. So we make lots of mung bean soup in summer. Sometimes the soup is frozen to make popsicles.
In winter, we cooked the pumpkin with mung beans. If the pumpkin is sweet enough, it can work as the perfect natural sweetness. To cook this, there is no oil added. It is a very good match for the hot oily dishes on winter days.
How to make a yummy mung bean soup
I will introduce two ways of making mung bean soup and many of ways of serving it.
On-stove method:
if you plan to cook the mung bean soup in a regular pot, then the first step is to soak it in clean water for around 1 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside. Soaking will save you lots of time on a regular pot.
Then add mung bean with sugar, water, or other ingredients like pumpkin in a pot. I will recommend using a half-cooking half resting method just like cooking other beans and boba pearls. This can save lots of energy. To do this, so start the fire first and then bring the content to boiling, and heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the fire, cover it, and rest for 20 minutes, and then restart the fire to cook until the beans are completely soft. You do need to simmer it for 1 hour or even longer.
Instant pot method:
The instant pot method is much easier, simply add sugar, mung beans, and pumpkin if using, and water and cook with bean or soup pressure. Let the pot stay in the cooker for 20 minutes and transfer out. Add a pinch of salt to balance the taste and wait for the soup to cool down naturally.
Ways of serving
You can add pumpkin cubes to the mung bean soup. If you prefer a healthier version, pumpkin can provide natural sweetness and you can skip sugar.
Mung bean soup can be served directly after cooking, served either chilled or warm.
You can further choose to mix it with other ingredients like coconut milk, milk or even use it as a base for milk tea. I love to add coconut milk and cooked sago. It is a more popular drink now in my area.
Mung Bean Soup
Ingredients
Pure summer cold version
- 1 cup mung beans
- 1/4 cup rock sugar
- a small pinch of salt
- 3 L water
Hot winter version
- 1 cup mung beans (Chinese green beans)
- 2 tbsp. rock sugar
- a small pinch of salt
- 2.5 L water
- 200 g pumpkin, peeled
Others
- 500 ml coconut milk
- 1 cup cooked sago , or to taste
Instructions
On-stove method
- If you plan to cook the mung bean soup in a regular pot, then the first step is to soak it in clean water for around 1 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside. Soaking will save you lots of time on a regular pot.
- Then add mung bean with sugar, water, or other ingredients like pumpkin in a pot. I will recommend using a half-cooking half resting method just like cooking other beans and boba pearls. This can save lots of energy. To do this, so start the fire first and then bring the content to boiling, and heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the fire, cover it, and rest for 20 minutes, and then restart the fire to cook until the beans are completely soft. You do need to simmer it for 1 hour or even longer.
Instant pot method
- The instant pot method is much easier, simply add sugar, mung beans, and pumpkin if using, and water and cook with bean or soup pressure. Let the pot stay in the cooker for 20 minutes and transfer out. Add a pinch of salt to balance the taste and wait for the soup to cool down naturally.
How to serve
- You can serve directly or fridge for 4 hours for a cold summer version.
- Mung bean soup can be served directly or you can choose to add coconut milk and sago.
Video
Nutrition
This soup really isn’t a beauty. Guess you had to put a lot of effort in these photos 🙂 But I’m convinced of it’s inner qualities as I believe in the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicin. I will give it a try.
Hi Susanne,
That’s an interesting point of view because most of the Chinese will think the soup lovely and beautiful. But after pointing out that, I find you are right. Haha.
Is there a mung bean and red bean breakfast soup in your cupboard (collection of recipes?) My friend here is from China and she served a breakfast bean soup which was made in a pressure cooker, served first thing in the morning. It was delicious, so I am looking for a recipe that I may follow, to prepare this type of soup again in southern New Mexico. She served the soup with a hard boiled egg, pork dumpling and two tangerines plus Chinese tea. All in all, it was calming, delicious, and a happy breakfast prepared with love.
thank you.
You can check this one with pure red beans or mixed congee.
Sichuan is the worlds famous Chinese Cuisine.I am proud of ancient Chefs who invented this cuisine.My good wishes.
Mung beam soup is not Sichuan food
How long do you cook it in the pressure cooker for? Is it 20 mins?
If you get buttons on the panel of your pressure, check soup section. If you don’t have those buttons, cook the beans around 10 minutes.
Made this today — you are right it is perfect for summer! It reminds me of eating mung bean popsicles in Beijing as a child… good times. Thank you!
We drinks this all through the summer. Happy cooking, Caroline!