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Mung
(moong) beans are small, cylindrical beans
with a bright green skin.
In ayurvedic cooking, they are used whole
or, more commonly, split and hulled. Split
and hulled mung beans are small and yellow
and called mung (moong) dhal in India.
These beans don't need pre-soaking and are
a snap to cook to butter-soft consistency
if you  have
a pressure cooker. They can also be cooked
in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Sort
beans and wash thoroughly before you cook
them.
Mung beans are one of the most cherished foods
in ayurveda. They are tridoshic--they can
be eaten to balance all three doshas, especially
when cooked with spices appropriate for each
dosha. They are very nourishing, while being
relatively easy to digest--they do not generally
create abdominal gas or bloating, the drawbacks
of larger beans. Persons recuperating are
often recommended khichari, a combination
of rice and mung beans, because of their ability
to provide a good level of nourishment without
overtaxing the digestion.
They offer the astringent taste. According
to modern nutrition, mung beans offer 14 gms
of protein per cooked cup. Mung beans are
also a good source of dietary fiber. They
also contain thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
potassium and copper, and are a good source
of folate.
Mung beans can be eaten on their own, or combined
with rice to make khichari, or combined with
vegetables and greens to make hearty soups
or ground into flour to be used to make crepes
or added to breads. Turmeric, cumin, dried
ginger and coriander are some spices that
work very well with mung beans.
Mung beans are available at Indian groceries
or health food stores.
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