Ginataang Munggo at Baboy is a delicious mung bean stew with coconut milk and diced pork. It's hearty, delicious, and perfect with steamed rice!
Mung beans are a staple ingredient in my kitchen for good reasons. Not only are they budget-friendly and nutritious, but these legumes are also easy to prepare and versatile enough to use in both sweet and savory dishes.
I have two of my favorite ways to cook this superfood already up on the blog, one using chicharon and the other with shrimp and sotanghon. This ginataang munggo at baboy stew is pretty similar in preparation but incorporates coconut milk for a creamier, richer flavor.
Preparing mung beans
- Sort the beans and discard any old looking, wrinkled beans as they might not soften and cook well. Use a fresh pack, if possible, as beans past their prime take longer to cook.
- Rinse well under cold running water until water runs clear.
- Thereโs no need to soak the mung beans. They'll cook and be ready to saute in about an hour.
Cooking tips
- Want to amp up the flavor and add a bit of heat? Stir in a tablespoon or so of curry powder!
- Do not add the tomatoes early on as acidic ingredients make the beans tough and take longer to soften.
- If you a thicker consistency, puree the cooked mung beans in a blender or mash them through a strainer.
How to serve
Enjoy this mung bean stew for as a main dish for lunch or dinner as a main dish. Serve with steamed rice, fried fish, grilled meat, or roasted chicken.
How to store
- Transfer leftovers to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until completely warmed through. Add more water or broth to loosen the consistency, and adjust the taste with fish sauce or salt as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry mung beans
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ยฝ pound pork butt or pork belly, diced
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ยฝ cups coconut milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch fresh spinach, stems trimmed
Instructions
- Sort through the mung beans, discarding discolored or shriveled beans and any grit or dirt. Rinse in cold, running water until water runs clear. Drain well.
- In a large pot, combine mung beans and water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil skimming froth that floats on top.
- Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 45 to 50 minutes or until legumes have softened and skins have burst. Add more water as needed to maintain about 4 cups.
- In another pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and onions and cook until tender and aromatic.
- Add pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
- Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with the back of the spoon, until softened and release juice.
- Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add cooked mung bean including liquid. Bring to a boil.ย Cook until pork is tender and liquid is slightly reduced.
- Add coconut milk.
- Lower heat, and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes or until stew is thickened to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add spinach, turn off heat and cover pot for 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach are just wilted. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Lori says
This recipe is my โgo to.โ Tastes just like my momโs! Thank you!
Rawinia says
I was looking for a way to incorporate more mung dal into my sad western diet and came across this recipe. Iโve never had Filipino cuisine before and Iโve got to say I have been missing out! This was delicious, filling and comforting and a relatively inexpensive dish to make. I will be repeating this one. Thank you.
steve says
very nice recipe,only i add a little fresh ginger and 1 small red chilli for a bit of a kick,and replace the belly pork with dried cured lean smoked bacon just to cut down the calorie count
Rhonda says
I havenโt tried to make this but I plan to real soon. My daddy use to put ampalaya (bitter melon) in his munggo. So at what point do I add the ampalaya?
JASMINE TRIPOLI says
I like Youre Recipes
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you ๐
Rida says
Hi can I put ginger on it!
Lalaine Manalo says
I don't put ginger in this but you could if you like ๐
Nicholas says
Hello. Thanks for this recipe. Tried it. Is it okay to refrigerate the leftover food and then eat the next day?
I hope you could answer
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Nicholas! It should be fine.
Karen says
I was a little skeptical to try this. Adding coconut milk to balatong didn't sound like it would work but you got something here. It rounds out the flavor nicely! I am awful at remembering to !eave feedback. I read your blog and try your recipes when I can. Crispy Pork shoulder was awesome and your ensaladang pipino is a staple in our fridge. Thank you for sharing!
Lalaine says
Yes, coconut milk with munggo stew sounds like a weird combination but it does work ๐ Thank you so much for the feedback, I am glad you're finding the recipes here useful. Are you Kapampangan? The "balatong" was my clue ๐
Karen says
Ah yes! My mom was Kapampangan. Being an AF brat I got the chance to spend 9 years of my childhood in the PI. Anytime I can I try to make the dishes I grew up on. Do you have any recipes that are specific to that region?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, I have a few Kapampangan recipes on the blog. ๐
Paul says
The term "balatong" is also used by thr Ilocanos and Ibanags. I grew up using that term from my parents, aunts, and uncles.
FranklyMyDear says
Hello Lalaine,
I miss munggo so much! However we don't have mung beans where I live, 7,500 ft among the boondocks of Colorado. I even checked the newly opened Walmart 5 miles away...can I use split peas instead of mung beans?
Lalaine says
Hello
I think lentils will be closer in taste and texture to the mung beans. ๐
FranklyMyDear says
Lalaine, the lentils were an excellent substitute to mung beans! My husband loved it (I have been educating him on Filipino cuisine).
Lalaine Manalo says
Glad he liked it!
edelweiza says
I love everything with gata! Name it, I've eaten it. Haha. Gata-flavored food made the Pinoy way should be on the global food map! ๐
Lalaine says
I strongly agree ๐