Sweet Mung Bean Soup with Sago Pearls and Its Health Benefit

A very famous Chinese herbal pharmacist, Li Shi Zhen, stated in his book, Ben Cao Gang Mu, that “mung beans are highly recommended not only as a rich source of nutrients but also as medication” and described that mung beans can help to clear heat and toxins from the body, balance the organs and skin, and tonify Qi. Mung beans also improve circulation in the twelve meridian channels throughout the body.

Clear Heat & Prevent Heat-stroke

Chinese Medicine believes that the external environment has a strong influence on the body. For example, in a hot summer the body will absorb more heat from its external environment. If the body cannot release this heat, physical changes may occur, including: body will feel hot, red face, very thirsty, dry skin, constipation, lack of energy, headache, dizziness.

For the hot season, Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature, can balance the body’s Yin & Yang and can release the heat. These types of foods should be a part of the daily diet during the summer.

Drinking mung bean soup more than once a day is extremely beneficial in reducing the above symptoms. Upon cooking the mung bean soup it is best kept refrigerated which preserves the dish and also helps to increase its effects. Drinking two or three cups a day of this soup will help to release summer heat as well as preventing the symptoms above.

Mung Bean Soup – for summer (hot weather conditions)
Boil 2 handfuls of mung beans and 7 cups of water. Boil for 15 minutes on low heat. Set the soup aside to cool (it can even be refrigerated). Drink this thin soup as required. The beans can also be eaten if soft enough.

Clear Skin & Help Acne

Mung beans are sweet in taste and cooling in nature. One of the very old traditional Chinese books, Kai Bao Ben Cao, mentions that mung beans act more on the Heart channel and clear heat and toxins from the skin, and cool heat in the blood. Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils. To help these conditions, mung bean soup should be thick in consistency and at room temperature – see the recipe below.

Mung Bean Soup – for skin conditions

Boil 2 handfuls of mung beans and 4 cups of water. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat & cover saucepan with lid. Allow to soak in boiled water for 30 minutes then strain. Drink the thick liquid soup. This process can be repeated once again using the same batch of mung beans.

Drink one cup of this soup twice a day in conjunction with regular treatment. Have 2 days break from the soup every 5 days.

Clear Toxins from the Blood & Body

Modern science now also considers that mung beans can help clear toxins from the body, including environmental toxins and chemicals.

Precautions

Avoid eating mung beans if you have diarrhoea or cold hands and feet.
If you are unsure whether or not mung beans are suitable for you, consult your experienced Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner.

Sweet Mung Bean Soup with Sago Pearls Recipe

Serves: 3-4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS

150g mung beans, picked and washed
2 tbsp small sago (tapioca) pearls
1/2 cup hot water
4 Pandan (Screwpine) leaves, tied into knots (optional)
1.5 litres water
rock sugar or sugar to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place sago pearls in a sieve or fine strainer and wash under running tap water. Once most of the whitish sand-like particles have washed off, soak sago pearls in hot water and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring water with knotted pandan leaves to boil in a pot, over high fire. When boiling, remove pandan leaves, and add mung beans. Bring to a boil again, and reduce to medium heat and let simmer.
Cook until mung beans breaks open and become soft, about 40 minutes. Check for water level and stir every 15 minutes. Add more hot water if the soup water dries up.
Add sago pearls and rock sugar to taste and continue to gently boil until sago pearls are almost cooked through. When almost cooked, the sago pearls look like translucent bubbles with a small whitish uncooked core. At this point, you may turn off the heat, and put lid on the pot for 15 minutes or so, until the sago pearls are completely cooked through from the residual heat. Serve hot or warm.

Note: The sago pearls will take up water as it cooks so the soup consistency will thicken. If you like a thinner consistency, add more water. If you like it thicker, let simmer to reduce water content.

Source:

http://www.pingminghealth.com/article/281/mung-beans-can-clear-body-heat-toxins-and-help-acne/

http://foodelicacy.com/sweet-mung-bean-soup-with-sago-pearls/