It's Lasang Pinoy time once again and this month's theme is Pinoy Soul Food! This LP is hosted by Minnette over at Lafang List.
There are a number of Filipino dishes that soothe me but when I found out about this month's theme I knew that, when it comes to putting a smile on my soul, there can be only one: Munggo.
Munggo (mung bean) Guisado is (considered by many) a humble bean stew. I have had it since I was a child, and have loved it for just as long. It nourishes and comforts, and always leaves a warm glow somewhere deep down in the sub-cockles of my heart. It is eaten far and wide, by Filipinos from all walks of life. Everytime I take a spoonful I feel I am part of millions of people, taking millions of spoonfuls. Soul and solidarity...all for a bargain price of a small sack of beans.
Munggo Guisado
- 240 grams munggo
- 4 cups of water
- 4 – 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 small (native…well, to here at least) tomatoes, chopped
- 200 grams (approximately, I used ½ of the fish) boneless tinapang (smoked) bangus (milkfish), broken into pieces
- 1 cup malunggay (moringa) leaves
- canola oil
- salt / patis (fish sauce)
Here’s what you do:
- Clean the munggo by dunking the beans in a bowl of tap water and skimming off the “floaters”.
- Place munggo in a pot with the 4 cups of water and cook on low heat until soft (around an hour, more or less).
- Once beans are done, start with your guisa (sauté).
- Heat some oil in a large pan (large enough to fit all your cooked and softened munggo).
- Sauté garlic, onions, and tomatoes until slightly soft.
- Add tinapang bangus, toss, and heat through.
- Add cooked munggo and stir.
- After you have given it a moment for the flavors to blend, add salt or patis to taste.
- Add malunggay leaves, give it a few stirs (they’ll cook fast), and you’re done.
Ever notice how, all around the world, some form of "humble bean stew" is considered soul food? We must have more in common that we think. I guess everyone needs a culinary cuddle sometimes, and this does it for me :)