Its Friday and its time to cook Munggo! Try this simple vegetable recipe today for your family. Its healthy and nutritious for everyone. Pair it with Tinapa on the side and its perfect too with crunchy chicharon skin. Happy cooking!

Ginisang Munggo with Chicharon and Ampalaya

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups of munggo beans (mung beans)
• 6 cups of water (more or less)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt, patis and pepper to taste
• 250 grams pork belly, cut into small pieces
• 1 small bitter melon, sliced thinly (ampalaya)
• 1 pack chicharon
• 1 tali dahon ng sili, remove large stems (or chili leaves, ampalaya leaves, kangkong leaves, malunggay leaves)

Cooking Notes: To lessen ampalaya bitterness, rub it with generous salt and soak in water for a few minutes. Squeezed and wash with running water and drain.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak mung beans an hour before cooking and gently rub and rinse a couple of times to remove the husk. Transfer to a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour while occasionally skimming the froth build-up on top. Add some water from time to time as needed. . The mung beans will have that slightly “popped” appearance. Strain the cooked mung beans and save the liquid stock, set aside.
2. In a separate saucepan, put-in oil and sauté garlic and onion until translucent.
2. Add the pork and stir fry for 3-5 minutes until brown. Add salt and pepper and pork stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add in your drained cooked mung beans and while mixing it in, mash the beans on the sides of the pan while stirring. Once well combined, add in your mung beans stock, just enough to make it slightly thick but not runny.
4. Add bitter melon. Simmer for 3-5 minutes on medium heat or until vegetable is fully cooked.
5. Add in sili leaves and cover pot. Transfer into serving bowls with chicharon on top. Best to serve with Tinapa on the side with steamed rice.

Happy eating and enjoy!