UPDATE Sept 8 2020: Sorry all, I forgot to put how much water! I made this again last night and have updated the recipe.
With everything going on lately in the U.S. political space– Kavanaugh being voted in as our Supreme Court Justice despite sexual assault allegations– I know a lot of women in my life that are feeling angry, furious, sad, hopeless, fed up.
Sadly, I am not surprised that this happened. White men assaulting and raping women and getting away with it. What’s new? My feelings are instead a quiet, seething rage, and so I turn to comfort food. And maybe some alcohol.
Monggo (or Munggo) is the ultimate comfort food. At least to me. This is what I want to eat when I’m sick, when I’m stressed, when the world is an unjust, almost unbearable place, but really anytime I’m just hungry is fine, too. It’s deliciously satisfying in all it’s forms, though additional ingredients such as fish flakes, chicharron, whatever leftover meat or seafood may be in the refrigerator can be added rather than pork or shrimp. It’s just as great with chicken, fish, or vegetarian.
I grew up with a version similar to this one that my mom would prepare. Usually making monggo is going to take several hours and an overnight soak in order to get the beans soft. What makes the Instant Pot so amazing to me is that you can instead do a recipe such as this in 30 minutes.
So yeah, in trying times like these we all deal in our own ways. Stay strong out there and do what you’ve gotta do. Just keep fighting along the way.
UPDATE: You can make this with raw cut up chicken or pork, or like I did recently by adding leftover spareribs to it. Monggo is flexible in that it can have any protein or no protein at all. Add some bitter melon, green beans, upo or other squash to it if you’d like!
I originally made this with whole mung beans but tried it with the split ones I had leftover. Just as good but comes out slightly softer, if not whole and you prefer them more textured, reduce time by a couple minutes.
Here’s more pictures from me remaking this recipe September 8, 2020:
Instant Pot Monggo (Filipino Mung Bean Stew)
A stew of mung beans, pork (or chicken) and shrimp.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 onion, chopped white or yellow
- 3 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 to 1 lb pork or chicken cut into bite sized pieces
- 1-2 tomato, chopped
- 1 cup mung beans
- malunggay leaves (optional)
- 2-3 tbsp patis (fish sauce) or salt
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 lb shrimp cooked
- 3 cups water
Instructions
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Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Once it heats up, add oil and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add the pork and brown it a bit on all sides. This is primarily for additional flavor and can be skipped, if desired.
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Add the chopped tomato, mung beans, water, malunggay leaves (if using) and 2 tbsp patis or salt.
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Turn the Instant Pot on Manual (high pressure) and set for 10 minutes. Make sure it is set to sealed. Walk away.
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Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes. You might still need to quick release after 10 minutes and then add the spinach and shrimp, stir to combine. Carefully taste and add additional patis or salt as desired.
You’re pressure cooking without liquids?
Hi, how much water do you usually add?
Don’t you have to add water or broth? This won’t cook for sure
I think you forgot to mention adding water?
Um, do you not use water in this recipe? How does the mung beans cook?
Sorry about that! I’ve updated the recipe. It’s 3 cups of water.
No water?
You might want to include how much water or broth is needed
How much water do I need on this recipe? It’s not included on the ingredients list and direction.
Trying out this monggo recipe now (like, it’s literally in the instant pot right now). I live in Brooklyn NY, and have moved my mom into my condo apartment with me after she had a stroke, fell, and broke her hip. She’s in need of comfort food, and I need to step up my game and learn how to make some Filipino dishes ASAP. Will try your congee recipe next. Congee was almost the only thing she ate while recovering post-surgery (a Chinatown was about a 10 minute walk away from her hospital).
Hi Rich! I hope you added some water since I mistakenly did not include it in the instructions!
Keep your politics and personal unsupported opinions out of a food blog. There is plenty of negative crap out there with your mindless BS.
Hey girl!
I’m specifically trying out this recipe because I like the ingredients, and a writer who is honest enough to call out BS!
Thank you for this comfort food recipe and keep doing your thing!