Ginisang munggo is a staple dish in my house for good reason. Not only is it hearty and delicious, it’s healthy and nutritious, too! It’s easy to make with simple ingredients, budget-friendly and pairs well with fried or grilled meats and fish.

I have three versions of this mung bean stew on the blog, one with crisp pork cracklings, one with minced shrimps and cellophane noodles, and other with pork and coconut milk, and if I may say so myself, they’re absolutely tasty.

This ginisang munggo with tinapa, however, just might knock them off the top! The recipe was inspired by a reader’s comment on one of my munggo recipes about using smoked fish instead of shrimps and I was so excited by the idea, I had a pot this mung bean stew simmering on the stove the same day I read her tip. I am happy to report, it didn’t disappoint! Chockful of hearty mung beans, verdant spinach, tender-crisp bittermelon, and smoky tinapa flakes, it’s a dish that’s sure to be a hit with the family.

I love the depth of flavor the smoked round scad lends to the stew but I imagine grilled fish such as tilapia or milkfish will work as well. Ginisang munggo is a very easy dish to pull together and with the tips below, you can have it ready for dinner in a pinch!

• There’s no need to soak the mung beans! They cook fast enough to be tender and ready to saute in less than an hour.
• As salt disrupts the cooking process, do not add until the beans are tender.
• One cup of dry mung beans will yield around 3 cups of cooked beans which should comfortably serve about 6 people. One energy and time-saving hack I employ at home is I cook a few cups at a time and divide them into airtight containers covered with their cooking liquid. They’re good for up to 6 months stored in the freezer and are ready for sauteing after a quick thaw.

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Ginisang Munggo at Tinapa

Prep Time

10mins

Cook Time

45mins

Total Time

55mins

Ginisang Munggo at Tinapa is a delicious nashville filipino food mung bean stew flavored with smoked fish flakes. With hearty mung beans and vitamin-rich spinach and bittermelon, it's nutritious as it is delicious!

Course:Main Entree

Cuisine:Filipino

Servings: 6Servings

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Lalaine

Ingredients

• 1cupdry mung beans
• 2quartswater
• 1tablespoonoil
• 1onion, peeled and chopped
• 3clovesgarlic, peeled and minced
• 1tablespoonfish sauce
• 1pound(about 4 to 5 pieces) smoked fish
• 1large ampalaya, seeded and cut thinly
• 1bunchfresh spinach, stems trimmed

Instructions

1. Sort through the mung beans, discarding discolored or shriveled beans and any grit or dirt. Rinse beans in cold, running water until water runs clear. Drain well.

2. In a large pot, combine mung beans and water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil skimming froth that floats on top.

3. Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 45 to 50 minutes or until beans have softened and skins have burst. Add more water as needed to maintain about 4 cups.

4. In another pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender and aromatic. Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Add cooked mung beans including liquid. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add ampalaya and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until tender yet crisp.

7. Add tinapa flakes and continue to cook until just heated through.

8. Add spinach, turn off heat and cover pot for about 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is just wilted. Serve hot.