Mung Bean and Coconut Curry

by Katie Trant on Oct 19, 2018 (last updated Jul 15, 2020) // 501 Comments

Servings

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

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4.7 from 324 votes

Mung Bean and Coconut Curry! This healthy vegan curry is packed with Indian flavours, coconut milk, cilantro, and lime. It's incredibly easy and can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stove top (instructions are provided for both!). If you're looking for a delicious moong dal recipe, this is the one! Grab the recipe and let's get started!

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Hands up if you have a packet of mung beans kicking around the back of your cupboard that you have no idea what to do with! Fear not, I'm here to help with a Mung Bean Curry that's so good if you and your family don't love it, I'll give you your money back.

Just kidding - there are no refunds on Hey Nutrition Lady.

But seriously, this is both one of the easiest and one of the most delicious recipes in my arsenal. It's hands down one of the most popular recipes on this site, and with good reason. Check the comments; it's amazeballs.

Are mung beans and moong dal the same thing?

Sort of... mung beans refer to the whole, intact bean that's encased in a green husk. This is what's in the picture below. Moong dal refers to mung beans with husk removed and split in half, so moong dal and split mung beans are the same thing. Moong dal will have slightly less dietary fiber, and will cook faster than whole mung beans.

This mung bean curry is a one-pot wonder. No fussing around with extra dishes, minimal cleanup, and not all that much chopping involved. Secondly, it features ingredients you've probably already got on hand: dried mung beans, canned tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and some fresh cilantro.

It's jam-packed with immune boosting foods (have you counted how many cloves of garlic are in that picture? that'd be nine, and yes, they're all going in!), and the mighty mung bean offers up a good dose of plant-based protein and gut-healthy fiber.

All of that is well and good, but folks, this curry is delicious. If mung beans aren't an ingredient you've cooked with before, I encourage you to give them a try. Unlike some other beans, they don't require soaking, so they're great for quick and easy meals.

And as beans go, mung is fairly easy to digest, so if you're someone who tends towards tummy troubles with other beans, I encourage you to give mung beans a go. When coupled with a spicy masala, coconut milk, and a touch of lime, this mung bean curry becomes a versatile meal. Sip it as a soup, or pair with brown rice or some warm naan bread if you're looking for something more substantial.

Tips for making a killer Mung Bean Curry:

Ummmm, there are NINE cloves of garlic in this curry? Yes ma'am, and I encourage you to use 'em all. I promise you this doesn't come out a garlic bomb of a dish, and you won't reek like garlic after eating it. It just works, and in combination with all of the other spices, the garlic gets mellowed out.
Can I use moong dal / split mung beans in this recipe? I haven't tested this personally, but I do believe it would work. However, using moong dal would result in a considerably different texture to the final product.
Keep your ginger in the freezer! It lasts for ages that way so you'll pretty much always have some on hand for a recipe, plus it's waaaaaayyyy easier to grate from frozen.
Have leftover mung bean curry? Lucky you! This recipe freezes like a dream, and is great for make-ahead meals.
Want to green it up? Be my guest! Throw in some chopped spinach at the end of cooking and let it wilt down into the curry. Delicious!
Can I made this recipe in the Instant Pot? Yes friends, you can! It won't save you all that much time but it comes out like a dream and you don't have to babysit the pot while the curry cooks. Instant Pot users please reduce the water to 3 cups!
What if I don't have an Instant Pot? Then make this delicious vegan curry on the stove top! I've done it that way approximately one million times.

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Hey Nutrition Lady, tell me about mung beans!

I'd be glad to! Mung beans are a good source of folate, dietary fiber, protein, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium and vitamin K. The protein-plus-fiber combination in beans is one of the things that makes them special. Mung or moong beans refer to the full, intact bean, whereas moong dal refers to a mung bean that has been hulled and split in half.

A one cup serving contains around 15g of fiber (over half of the daily recommended intake), and 15g of protein. Much of the fiber is indigestible, which supports digestive health, particularly in the lower part of our digestive tract.

The protein-fiber combination is also key in stabilizing blood sugar levels, as both protein and fiber move through our digestive systems at a moderate pace. Beans are also rich in soluble fiber, which is helpful for lowering blood cholesterol levels and supporting cardiovascular health.

Other Tasty Curries you might enjoy:

Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
Red Curry Coconut Stir-Fry
Curried Cauliflower Chickpea Wraps
Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dal

mung bean and coconut curry on a grey background

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4.72 from 324 votes