Best Ginataang Munggo

Try this super easy Ginataang Munggo merienda recipe using 5 ingredients only! The delicious combination of toasted mung beans, glutinous rice, brown sugar, and coconut milk makes a creamy, hearty, and sweet treat for everyone!

Looking for more mung bean dishes? Try my Linubihang Munggo or my delicious Vegetarian Ginisang Monggo.

Jump to:

• What is Ginataang Munggo?
• Health Benefits of Glutinous Rice
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Storage
• Top Tips
• Ingredients
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Best Ginataang Munggo

What is Ginataang Munggo?

Ginataang Munggo or Monggo (Sticky Rice with Mung beans and Coconut Milk), also known as lelut balatung in Pampanga or minatamis na munggo, is a sweet, delicious, and creamy Filipino mung bean dessert made of toasted mung beans and glutinous rice simmered in coconut milk.

It is typically flavored with vanilla or pandan leaves and is usually eaten for breakfasts, afternoon snacks, or an after-meal sweet treat. This easy and delicious mung bean coconut milk recipe is very simple to cook and needs a few ingredients only. It can be served either hot or cold. Try and enjoy!

Health Benefits of Glutinous Rice

• Helps prevent chronic disease
• Improves bone density
• May reduce diabetes
• Helps cure inflammation
• Improves heart health
• May augment metabolism

Substitutions

• You can use white sugar instead of brown sugar if preferred.
• Regular rice can be used, but it will change the texture of the dish.

Variations

• Add saba banana or sweet potato for additional flavor and texture.
• Flavor with vanilla or pandan leaves for a more aromatic dish.

Storage

Let the leftovers completely cool down before placing them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To warm it up, just add some water or coconut milk and mix to loosen it up.

Top Tips

• Add more water gradually if the mixture becomes too thick.
• Feel free to add corn and fruits such as jackfruit or banana.
• You may use mortar and pestle (almires), a food processor, or any hard heavy object to crack the roasted mung beans. Just split the beans but not crush or pulverize them.
• Cook the mixture in low heat while stirring occasionally, or until the coconut milk is almost absorbed.
• Use a wooden spatula to scrape the bottom to keep it from burning and sticking to the pot.
• Make sure that the glutinous rice and mung beans have expanded and softened before adding to the sugar.

Ingredients

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:

• green mung beans
• water
• glutinous rice
• coconut milk
• brown sugar

Instructions

In a skillet over medium heat, toast the mung beans until they turn brown and produce a nutty flavor, about 2-3 minutes:

Transfer the toasted mung beans to a baking sheet and crack them open using a rolling pin or a cast-iron pan:

In a large pot, add water, glutinous rice, mung beans, and half of the coconut milk, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, continually stir so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Rice will be cooked in about 25-30 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk, brown sugar and stir well and check the sweetness. If you want more add more brown sugar:

Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions