Mung bean green papaya spinach soup
This soup is hearty, healthy, and has lots of varying textures.
Did you know that when you have bean sprouts — on a sandwich, in soups, in stir fries — those are the sprouts of mung beans? This recipe uses the bean, not the sprout. I used the whole dried beans, but they are sold in the split form as well. You could use a combination of the 2 to get a creamier texture since the split bean will cook faster.
The green papaya is an unripened papaya, and is like a summer squash and rich in potassium. You can usually find them in an Asian or Latin supermarket. For an oil-free recipe, use water or vegetable broth to sauté.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sliced dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil, water, or vegetable broth
- 1/2 onion, julienned
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 3/4 cup dried mung beans, rinsed
- 5 cups vegetarian or low-sodium chicken broth or water (can include reserved liquid from the mushrooms as part of the broth)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of one of these sauce options: soy sauce, coconut or liquid aminos, fish sauce (patis), or vegetarian fish sauce
- 2 cups green papaya, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 12- or 14-ounce block of tofu*, medium or firm, cubed
- 4 cups fresh spinach or leafy greens
- Black pepper to taste
*You can also use 1 pound of chicken, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces. Can be used instead of, or with tofu. If using chicken, sauté with onion as the first step.
Directions
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in water for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid to use as part of the broth.
- Place canola oil in a large pot on medium-high heat and let heat for 1 minute.
- Add onion (and chicken, if using) and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger, and sauté for another minute. Add mung beans, broth, rehydrated mushrooms, and your chosen sauce. Bring up to a boil, then let simmer for about 40 minutes or until beans are tender, skimming off any froth on the top.
- Add green papaya and tofu. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until papaya is fork tender.
- Add spinach and let wilt, should take less than a minute.
- Taste to ensure adequate seasoning, then serve!
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Serving size: 2.5 cups
- Calories: 320
- Total fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 40 g
- Dietary fiber: 11 g
- Total sugars: 12 g
- Protein: 18 g