Gujarati Mung Bhaat- Mung Bean and Rice Soup

Join me in a moment of nostalgia with my recipe for a classic Gujarati Mung Bean Soup. This is nothing like my playful recipe for Spinach and Mung Bean Soup – it’s an untweaked and deliciously traditional soup loved by the Gujarati peoples. Can you believe I didn’t stray from the recipe?
 

Did you know?

Many Indians consider the mung bean to bring luck and so it is used in rituals and offered to the Gods along with grains of raw rice.

Like most Gujarati recipes, every family has its own secret version of this mung bean soup, with probably the only similarity across all variations being that it’s always, always served with rice. The rice is boiled separately from the mung bean soup and usually mixed in just before serving.
Check out my tips on how to cook perfect basmati rice.

I topped mine with sweet, golden onions and fresh coriander. You can also stir in a spoonful of creamy natural yogurt for a mild tang.

If you’re feeling lazy and are craving a satisfying, filling, ‘all-I-need-is-a-bowl-and-spoon-dinner’, this recipe is your new best friend.

Get the pressure cooker out and make this during the week.

Gujarati Mung Bhaat- Mung Bean and Rice Soup
(Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee (or oil)
240g raw mung beans, washed
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 clove
-inch piece cassia bark
¼ tsp asafoetida
2-4 curry leaves
1 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
750ml hot water
½ tsp turmeric
Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 tsp green chillies, minced
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sugar
Juice of half a lemon

Around 500ml hot water to bring to a soup consistency
Chopped coriander to garnish
1 onion, sliced into strips
2 tbsp oil or ghee to fry the onions

Method

1. Heat the ghee or oil in your pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, clove and cassia. Saute for a couple of seconds.

2. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes. Pour in 750ml water, and then add the bicarbonate of soda, garlic, ginger, chillies and turmeric. Bring to the boil.

3. Stir in the raw mung beans, put the lid on the pressure cooker and allow to cook on a medium heat for around 10-12 minutes (mine took 6-7 whistles but this may vary depending on your cooker).

4. Once the pressure cooker has cooled and the steam has escaped, open the lid. Your mung beans should be fairly dry and completely cooked. If not, add some more water and continue to cook until tender.

5. Add around 500ml hot water to bring it back up to soup consistency, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Boil for a further 5 minutes, adding more water depending on the consistency you desire.

6. Mix the soup into some cooked basmati rice. For details on how to cook basmati rice, visit my Perfect, fluffy Basmati rice post.

7. Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a pan and sauté your onions on a medium heat until golden brown. Whilst it’s still very hot, spoon it over the top of your rice and mung bean soup.

8. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

Mung bean mad? Check out my recipes for Dry Gujarati Mung Bean Curry and Decadent Spinach and Mung Bean Soup.

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