Mung beans, a staple in traditional Korean cuisine, are now being processed with a cutting-edge technique developed by the Chongnyu Restaurant. This new method enhances the texture and flavor of mung bean-based dishes, making them more appealing and delicious.
- Glutinous rice cake dressed with mung bean flour
- Mung bean fermented drink
- Steamed rice cake dressed with mung bean flour
- Mung bean pancake
- Mung bean yeasted bread
- Mung bean ice cream
Chae Kwang Chol, the head of the restaurant’s technical preparation section, explained that improving the starch extraction process is key to creating dishes with better elasticity and flavor. Mung beans are composed of 59.6% saccharides, with starch making up 54% of this total.
Traditionally, mung beans are soaked in water for extended periods and then ground for cooking. However, their tough outer husk makes it difficult for water to penetrate, resulting in minimal starch extraction and limited improvements in the final dish.
To solve this, the Chongnyu Restaurant delved into the biological and nutritional properties of mung beans. Based on their research, they developed a new processing technique involving vacuum and freezing treatments, along with a specialized vacuum facility.
Here’s how the process works:
Vacuum Treatment: The mung beans are treated under vacuum pressure. Braying and Swelling: The beans are softened and their husks removed. Freezing and Milling: The beans are then frozen and ground, making the starch more accessible and shortening preparation time. Grinding the mung beans with a millstone is an essential step in this process. It results in a finer texture, producing a smoother pancake batter with vibrant, even colors.
Using these improved mung beans, the restaurant prepares mung bean pancakes—a classic Korean favorite and a well-loved specialty of Pyongyang. Alongside other local delicacies like ice cream, jelly, yeasted bread, and fermented drinks, the pancakes are a hit with locals, cherished for their unique flavor and texture.
Even the mung bean husks, a byproduct of the process, are put to good use. Packed with cellulose—a vital nutrient—they’re used to make nutritious ice cream, demonstrating the restaurant’s commitment to sustainability.
This innovative technique, which expands the variety and quality of traditional Korean dishes, won first place at the 37th National Sci-tech Festival last year. The Chongnyu Restaurant’s creative approach ensures that a humble ingredient like mung bean continues to delight and inspire.