In Korean culinary traditions, mung bean has found its place in a variety of traditional dishes, offering not only a delightful taste but also numerous health benefits. Packed with protein, starch, glucose, vitamins, oil, minerals, and other nutritious elements, mung bean contributes to overall human health by positively impacting the blood circulatory system and liver, as well as aiding in neutralizing toxins.
Dating back to the mid-13th century, mung bean has been documented in the Hyangyakgugupbang, a classic Korean medical book. This historical evidence reflects the long-standing cultivation and widespread use of mung bean in both medicinal care and diet, even before the Koryo dynasty.
Some popular dishes made with mung bean include fragrant mung-bean jelly, jelly salad, pancakes, sprouts, porridge, and steamed cake. Mung-bean jelly, made with either yellow or blue mung beans, is particularly esteemed, with the blue mung bean variety being considered superior. Locals in North and South Hwanghae provinces traditionally enjoy mung-bean jelly during the summer, and the water strained off from the jelly has been historically used for treating debility and stomach issues.
Mung-bean jelly salad, a favorite for spring, involves mixing thin slices of mung-bean jelly with pork, parsley, laver, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mung-bean pancakes, typically fried flat circular pieces made from milled mung bean, were once served as special treats for guests or during holidays. In the Pyongyang area, lard and vegetables were often added to the batter, creating a dish that, along with cold noodles and onban (boiled rice in meat soup), has been cherished as a local specialty for generations.
Mung-bean sprouts, rich in vitamin A, B, and various minerals, have proven to be more nutritious than bean sprouts. Mung-bean porridge is recommended for stimulating appetite and nourishing weak individuals, with historical references in the classic medical book Tonguibogam highlighting its benefits in treating fever and preventing thirst.
In contemporary times, foodstuff factories produce health foods using mung bean, including fermented mung-bean drinks. These drinks are known for their efficacy in treating alcoholism, uremia, food poisoning, and agrochemical-related poisoning. They also support the treatment of inflammations in the digestive system and kidneys, diarrhea, indigestion, and serve as a preventive measure for various conditions such as fatty liver, arteriosclerosis, dermatitis, hives, eczema, allergic diseases, hepatitis, diabetes, and esophageal cancer. Additionally, the hull of the mung bean finds utility in making tea, further extending the diverse applications of this nutritious legume.
