Mung beans are small green or red beans from South and Southeast Asia. When buying, look for bright color and no damage. They can be boiled, sprouted, or made into noodles. Fresh beans are rare outside of Asia. They are commonly eaten in curries and soups in India and other Asian countries.
Mung beans are small green or red string beans from the Indian subcontinent and are common in foods throughout South and Southeast Asia. The best green beans are brightly colored, smooth and oval in shape and without cracks, mushy spots or discoloration. These beans are usually sold dried and should be uniform in size and shape, and dry throughout. When sold fresh, green beans are slightly larger and softer and can be sold in their pods, which should be dry, brown, and papery. In cooking, green beans can be boiled for consumption whole, sprouted, or made into noodles.
Most green beans sold in North American grocery stores are green, but reddish-brown varieties are also available. Look for consistent, relatively bright color and undamaged skin. The bean should not be cracked or broken unless all the beans have been divided for soups. Avoid any samples with discolored spots on the leather or a soft feel, as they may be rotten.
When buying dried green beans, look for fresh, unwrinkled specimens about 0.5 cm long, without many stones or bits of dirt in the bag. Avoid containers that contain a lot of broken or shrunken beans, as they may not cook evenly. One or two discolored beans are acceptable, but, if many beans appear to be light or pale, the container may have been stored poorly.
Fresh green beans are rare outside of Asia, but can be found in small local markets, where they are often sold in the pod. The pods should be dry, light to medium brown in color and easily cracked. You can quickly shell the beans by crushing them and shaking the lighter pods through a sieve. The beans themselves should be a little brighter in color than the dried product, a little larger and a little less dry, but samples with dark, light or soft spots should still be avoided.
Preparing green beans requires a pot of boiling water or a jar of sprouting. To boil these beans for use in soup or curry, first soak them for an hour or two, then cook them until they begin to disintegrate. To sprout beans, soak them in cold water for 8-12 hours, then place them in the sprouter out of direct sunlight. Rinse the beans once or twice a day for 2 to 6 days, depending on the desired sprout size. Regular dried beans may not germinate as well as beans guaranteed to germinate, but they tend to be less expensive.
These beans are native to India, where they are commonly eaten in curries and soups, but can also be found in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as Thai, Japanese and Korean cuisines. Cooks in Bangladesh, Burma and Pakistan use these beans in dishes similar to those made in India.
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