Mung bean and mung bean sprouts are widely consumed around the world. Mung bean sprouts are known for their detoxification properties and can help alleviate heat stroke as well as reduce swelling during the summertime. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, mung bean sprouts are used to help cool the body. Mung bean sprouts can help treat heat, acne, inflammation, and hypertension. They also have antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer properties, and can help with reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that a regular consumption of mung beans have lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 22%, coronary artery diseases by up to 11%, and myocardial infarction by 38%.
Organic mung beans can be found in stores or online and are easy to grow at home:
Add half a cup of mung beans for sprouting to a large bowl. Make sure to discard any broken, wrinkled, or shrunken seeds
Rub and rinse the seeds 3 times or until the water runs clear
Soak the seeds overnight, uncovered
Discard the water and rinse the beans a few times with clean water then drain
Transfer the beans to a clean sprouting tray or container so that they all fit without overlap
Cover the beans with a wet paper towel or cloth and place somewhere dark. The beans will start to sprout on their own
Rinse the beans daily with clean water and you should have long edible sprouts in 3 to 5 days
Our tip: Use a salad spinner to grow the sprouts. Utilize the bowl to soak, wash and grow by leaving water at the bottom of the bowl and using the strainer basket for the beans. When you are ready to harvest, fill the entire spinner with water to clean the sprouts and then spin to dry. Repeat as needed.
Mung Bean Sprout Salad
Ingredients:
1 lbs. of cleaned mung bean sprouts
1 tbsp. tamari sauce or soy sauce
3 tbsp. of roasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. crushed or minced garlic
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tsp. organic rice wine vinegar, or to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste
Steps:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add the bean sprouts, and cook uncovered until tender yet still crisp, about 15 seconds.
Drain the sprouts in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process.
Once the bean sprouts are cold, drain well, and set aside.
Whisk tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds together in a large bowl.
Stir in bean sprouts and toss until well coated with the sauce.
Sprinkle with green onions and season with rice wine vinegar.
This dish may be served immediately or left to marinade overnight.
References:
Kumar Ganesan, Baojun Xu, A critical review on phytochemical profile and health promoting effects of mung bean (Vigna radiata), Food Science and Human Wellness, Volume 7, Issue 1, 2018, Pages 11-33, ISSN 2213-4530, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2017.11.00. (n.d.).