Ginisang munggo is a Filipino mung bean stew cooked with garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
In this version, I used shrimp, sotanghon, and chili pepper leaves.
The beans soften and thicken the broth as they cook, while homemade shrimp stock adds more flavor.
It's a filling, budget-friendly meal. Serve it with rice and fried fish on the side.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Mung beans (munggo): Use dried green mung beans. Soaking is optional, but it helps them cook faster.
- Shrimp: Use whole shrimp so you can make stock from the heads and shells. For a shortcut, use peeled shrimp and shrimp or chicken broth.
- Shrimp paste (bagoong alamang): I used sautéed shrimp paste. You can also use fish sauce, oyster sauce, or soy sauce instead; add a little at a time and taste before adding salt.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes. Cook them down until soft and starting to caramelize for more flavor.
- Sotanghon: These thin glass noodles absorb the broth and make the stew more filling.
- Chili pepper leaves (dahon ng sili): Remove the tough stems and rinse the leaves. You can use malunggay leaves, ampalaya, spinach, mustard greens, or sweet potato leaves instead. Thaw and drain frozen leaves before adding.
- Chicharon: This adds a little crunch. Sprinkle it on just before serving, or leave it out.
How to Make Ginisang Munggo
Step 1: Prepare the mung beans
Rinse 2 cups of dried mung beans and remove any small stones or damaged beans.
Soak in plenty of water for 4 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse.
You can skip soaking, but the beans will take longer to cook.
Step 2: Prepare the shrimp
Peel 12 ounces of shrimp, saving the heads and shells for the stock.
Make a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp.
Use a toothpick or skewer to gently pull out the long, dark vein.
Step 3: Make the shrimp stock
Heat a little oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
Add the shrimp heads and shells and cook until lightly browned.
Press the heads with a spoon to release their juices.
Add 1 bay leaf, 6 cups of water, and a little salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Strain the stock and set aside. Discard the heads, shells, and bay leaf.
Step 4: Soak the sotanghon
Soak 2 bundles of sotanghon in warm water until they are soft, then drain.
Check the package for soaking time.
Step 5: Sear the shrimp
Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper.
Sear for about a minute per side (depending on their size) until pink and opaque.
Transfer to a plate.
Step 6: Sauté the aromatics and shrimp paste
Lower the heat to medium and add more oil if needed.
Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and 6 garlic cloves (minced). Cook until softened.
Add 2 ripe tomatoes (chopped). Cook them down until soft and starting to caramelize.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of sautéed shrimp paste and cook briefly.
Step 7: Cook the mung beans
Add the drained mung beans and the shrimp stock. Stir and bring to a boil.
Then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover.
Simmer for 30-60 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Unsoaked beans may take longer.
Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom so the beans don't stick. Add more water if needed as the beans absorb the stock.
For a creamier stew, cook until the beans start to break apart. You can also use an immersion blender to blend some of the cooked beans, leaving the rest whole.
Taste and season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, or soy sauce a little at a time, along with ground pepper.
Step 8: Add the sotanghon
Add the drained sotanghon and simmer for about 2 minutes, or until mostly transparent and soft with a slight chew.
The noodles will absorb some of the broth. Add a little water if the stew gets too thick..
Step 9: Add the shrimp and chili pepper leaves
Return the shrimp to the pot and add 1 bunch of chili pepper leaves.
Stir gently and cook just until the leaves wilt and the shrimp are heated through.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then turn off the heat.
Serve your ginisang munggo with steamed rice and top with crushed chicharon, if you like.
Recipe FAQs
Ginisang munggo is a Filipino stew made with mung beans, usually cooked with aromatics and shrimp or pork. It's also common to add chili pepper leaves (dahon ng sili), malunggay, ampalaya (bitter melon), or sweet potato leaves (talbos ng kamote).
No, but soaking helps them cook faster. Soak for 4 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse. If you skip soaking, allow more cooking time.
They should be soft and easy to mash with a spoon. For a creamier stew, cook until some beans start to break apart.
The beans and sotanghon keep absorbing broth after cooking. Add a little water or broth when reheating, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
What to Serve with Ginisang Munggo
Serve it with steamed rice and one of these on the side:
- Lumpiang Shanghai: Crispy spring rolls with a meat filling. Try lumpiang gulay or dynamite lumpia.
- Fried fish: Whole fish fried until the skin is crisp and the flesh is tender.
- Crispy pata: Pork hock fried until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender.
- Lechon kawali: Crispy pork belly, deep-fried or air-fried.
- Tinapa: Smoked fish seasoned with salt.
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📖 Recipe
Ginisang Munggo
Equipment
- Medium pot (for the stock)
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried mung beans rinsed and sorted
- 12 ounces whole shrimp heads and shells reserved for stock
- 6 cups water more as needed
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoons sautéed shrimp paste
- 2 bundles sotanghon (glass noodles)
- 1 bunch chili pepper leaves tough stems removed
- Fish sauce, oyster sauce, or soy sauce to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Crushed chicharon for serving (optional)
- Neutral oil
Instructions
- Rinse the mung beans and remove any small stones or damaged beans. Optional: soak for 4 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse.
- Peel and devein the shrimp, saving the heads and shells.
- Heat a little oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the heads and shells, pressing the heads with a spoon. Add 6 cups of water, the bay leaf, and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes and strain.
- Soak the sotanghon in warm water until softened, then drain.
- Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper. Sear about a minute per side, until pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion and garlic until softened, adding oil if needed. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and starting to caramelize. Stir in the shrimp paste and cook briefly.
- Add the mung beans and stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-60 minutes, until soft. Unsoaked beans may take longer. Stir occasionally and add water as needed. Mash some cooked beans for a creamier stew.
- Add the sotanghon and simmer about 2 minutes, until cooked. Add water if too thick.
- Add the shrimp and chili pepper leaves. Cook until the leaves wilt and the shrimp are heated through. Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, or soy sauce and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
Notes
- Mung beans: Use dried green mung beans. Rinse and sort; soaking helps them cook faster but is optional.
- Shrimp: Use whole shrimp for stock, or peeled shrimp with shrimp or chicken broth.
- Shrimp paste: Use sautéed shrimp paste or substitute fish, oyster, or soy sauce. Add gradually and taste before adding salt.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes; cook until soft and starting to caramelize.
- Sotanghon: Glass noodles that absorb broth and make the stew more filling.
- Chili pepper leaves: Remove tough stems and rinse. Substitute malunggay, spinach, mustard greens, sweet potato leaves, or sliced ampalaya. Thaw and drain frozen leaves.
- Chicharon: Optional; add just before serving for crunch.
Ceecee says
Can i use split pea? Is it the same?
Nora Reyes says
Hi Ceecee, Yes, you can use split peas as a substitue, but keep in mind they have a slightly different flavor and texture than mung beans. They tend to be sweeter, less earthy, and generally become softer and creamier when cooked. Still delicious, just a little different! 😊🍲