It's just what it sounds like. An easy 2-Ingredient Mung Bean Paste that you can use to fill your favorite mochi and mooncake recipes. It's not vegan because I use honey to sweeten the mung beans, but you're welcome to use other liquid sweeteners such as agave syrup and brown rice syrup.
What are Mung beans?
Mung beans are a type of legume that are small and green. They originally come from India, but spread to other Asian countries over time. In many Western countries, beans are seen as savory, but mung beans are not only for lunch. Mung beans have a mildly sweet taste that are used in both savory dishes and in desserts.
Are Mung Beans Healthy?
Using mung beans in cooking can add a lot of health benefits to your meal (or dessert). They are rich in minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. These can help reduce your risk for diseases, lower cholesterol, and aid digestion. Mung beans are healthy, and are a great ingredient to incorporate into your diet
Ingredients Used to Make 2-Ingredient Mung Bean Paste
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Split Yellow Mung Beans - You can find dried mung beans (specifically, the Split Yellow Mung Bean) in most Asian grocery stores. I found mine in Hmart, but you can also buy them online, like in Amazon here
- Honey - I used honey to sweeten the mung beans, but you're welcome to use other liquid sweeteners such as agave syrup and brown rice syrup.
Step by Step Guide
How to Make 2-Ingredient Mung Bean Paste
STEP 1
Wash and rinse the dried beans in water.
Transfer the washed beans in a large bowl and soak in water (about 3 cups, or triple the amount of the beans) for 4-8 hours.
STEP 2
Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a steamer lined with cheesecloth, or steamer paper.
STEP 3
Steam the beans for 30 minutes or more, until the beans are soft and mashable
STEP 4
Cool the cooked beans slightly until warm, then transfer to the bowl of food processor. Blend the cooked beans with ¼ cup of honey or brown rice syrup.
STEP 5
Have a quick taste and add more honey if needed. You also want to add more honey (or water) if the beans are too dry. The mung bean paste should be smooth and moldable and be able to hold its shape.
STEP 6
Roll into tablespoon sized balls to stuff in mochi or mooncakes.
The recipe yields about 500g of mung bean paste, or approximately 2 cups. Use immediately for filling, or divide into portions and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
- You don’t have to keep this plain. Add some nuts, dried fruits or mini chocolate chips to keep this cake interesting.
- Matcha Mung Bean Paste - add 1 tsp of matcha powder per 1 cup of mung bean paste. I have a separate recipe here
- Chocolate Mung Bean Paste- Just add 2 to 4 Tbsp of cocoa powder when blending
- Coffee or mocha Paste! Add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder.
- Do you like Chai or Cardamom? Try adding a tsp of Cardamom Powder or Chai Tea Powder to the beans
- With natural flavoring / extracts. Feel free to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I didn't feel like it was essential so I left it out in this recipe), or other flavorings or extracts, such as caramel flavoring, hazelnut extract or almond extract.
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Easy 2-Ingredient Mung Bean Paste
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried Split Yellow Mung Beans
- ¼ cup honey or brown rice syrup
Instructions
- Wash and rinse the dried beans in water.
- Transfer the washed beans in a large bowl and soak in water (about 3 cups, or triple the amount of the beans) for 4-8 hours.
- Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a steamer lined with cheesecloth, or steamer paper.
- Steam the beans for 30 minutes or more, until the beans are soft and mashable
- Cool the cooked beans slightly until warm, then transfer to the bowl of food processor.
- Blend the cooked beans with ¼ cup of honey or brown rice syrup.
- Have a quick taste and add more honey if needed.
- Yields about 500g of mung bean paste, or approximately 2 cups.
- Use immediately for filling, or divide into portions and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze up to 3 months.
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