For breakfast I usually either have oatmeal (sometimes savory, most times sweet), or toast with jam, sometimes steamed rice with stir-fried greens, or some sort of raw mik & fruit/spinach smoothie, eggs, and things of that nature. It all depends on my mood, really. I almost always have fresh coffee (raw milk latte or black) or tea (green or mate). Lately I’ve been craving something that my dad used to make when I was growing up: “bubur kacang hijau” or “green mung bean porridge.” My dad has a fierce sweet tooth, more so than mine and my mom & sisters put together actually. He used to make this porridge with A LOT of palm sugar and coconut milk. Almost too sweet for my taste, but we usually ate it with vanilla ice cream or shaved ice. When he didn’t feel it was sweet enough, he also put sweetened condensed milk on his portion. Crazy sweet tooth, I tell you. I think he believes he balances it all out by eating ridiculously spicy foods… but that’s just what he enjoys. Anyway, this porridge is a typical dish in Southeast Asian countries and everyone makes it slightly different.

I’ve read that in Ayurveda, mung beans are cherished because they are tridoshic- meaning they can be eaten to balance all three doshas: Vata, Pita and Kapha. Mung beans are very nourishing, have a fair amount of protein, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1 and are easy to digest. I like to pre-soak mung beans so they retain more of their nutritional value when I’m ready to cook them. They are really great sprouted and in savory dishes too, but this recipe is my version of a childhood sweet favorite.

Recipe

2 cups rinsed green mung beans, soaked overnight
3 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 inch slice of fresh ginger
1 cup coconut milk
Local raw, unfiltered honey (to add after, to taste)

1. Bring the mung beans, water, salt to boil in a large sauce pan.

2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cinnamon stick and slice of fresh ginger. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the mung beans are soft and starting to fall apart. Make sure to keep the beans slightly covered in water. This usually takes 30-45 minutes, but could take longer.

3. Add the coconut milk and continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, making sure the mung beans are very soft and it should all look like a thick porridge.

4. I take out the ginger and cinnamon stick, as the porridge should just be scented, and ladle into bowls. I don’t cook the porridge with any sweetener as I like to add my own (I prefer local raw, unfiltered honey). I also like to stir in a little bit more coconut milk (or raw milk) right before I eat it.