Last Updated on October 26, 2020 by Simon Fan
Mung beans are frequently used in Chinese cooking, albeit oftentimes not in their original form.
For example, they’re ground to extract mung bean starch, which is used to make cellophane noodles, an iconic Chinese ingredient. Or, they’re germinated to grow bean sprouts, excellent for stir-fries and soups. Mung bean paste also shows up in various Chinese pastries and desserts.
Whole mung beans are often used to make sweet mung bean soup (绿豆汤), which is consumed chilled in Chinese households during the summer. The cooling properties of mung beans, as per Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), make them possibly a more effective option (and a healthier one as well) than ice creams to fight off the heat.
They’re also frequently cooked with rice, as in this dish featuring mung beans, rice, and chicken. Even since I “discovered” the dish a few years ago, I’ve been in love with it—the natural affinity among the three ingredients, steamed together and imbued with the scent of lotus leaf, creates a dish so harmonious and comforting.
What’s intriguing about this dish is the fact that I learned the recipe from a cookbook about Sichuan cuisine. Although most people associate Sichuan cooking with complex flavors and spices, subtle dishes like this one also exist in the region’s repertoire, to offer “palate-cleansing” breaks from fiery sensations.
Steamed mung beans with rice and chicken in lotus leaf
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 oz (170 g) chicken breast or thigh meat
Marinade
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, grated with a Microplane grater
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch
2½ oz (75 g) whole dried mung beans, soaked in cold water overnight
1 cup (240 ml) water
3½ oz (100 g) short- or medium-grain Asian white rice
1½ cups (360 ml) water
1 large dried lotus leaf, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
Sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce or oyster sauce
Freshly ground white pepper
3 oz (85 g) bell peppers, cut into small dice
Directions
- Cut the chicken into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice. In a bowl, mix the chicken with the ingredients for the marinade, and let marinate for about 30 minutes.
- In a pot, add the soaked mung beans and the cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, adding a bit more water as needed if the cooking liquid dries up, until the beans have just turned tender but not too soft, about 20 minutes.
- In a pot, add the rice and the 1½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook (adding a bit water as needed) until the rice grains are soft but still firm to the bite (al dente). Do not overcook. Transfer the rice to a colander to drain and cool.
- Cut the lotus leaf into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a medium steamer (such as a 10-inch/25 cm bamboo steamer), and place it there, pressing to make it fit snugly. Spread the rice into a thin layer at the bottom of the steamer. Scatter the chicken dice over the rice, then spread the mung beans on top. Steam over high heat until the beans are very soft and the chicken is fully cooked through, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a smaller two-tier steamer (for example 8-inch/20 cm in diameter), cut the lotus leaf into 2 circles, and divide the ingredients between the two tiers.
- In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce. Garnish the dish with the bell peppers and drizzle the sauce on top. Serve right away.
