Green Mung Bean with Barley Dessert Soup

“Green (Mung) Bean Sweet Soup & Barley, Double Taste & Double Benefit”

Whenever I think of slimming food, I think of green bean.

I’ve ever came across an article on how green bean helps in slimming effect. A bowl of green bean paste/ soup (without sugar added) to be taken daily helps to lose weight. Result will be seen as fast as within a week. Frankly, I am not quite sure if it is so real. Based on my experience, it helps a little. Was it due to the green beans? Probably yes, as it aids digestion, afterall. Anyway, green bean offers nutritional benefits.

Chinese believes in its “cooling effect” to our body, green bean aka mung bean, has also asserted to its nutritional fame. (See more details).

A bowl of warm green bean soup served to your loved ones during cold weather warms their body as well as heart. Green bean soup can be served chilled, too. It’s extra refreshing to be taken in the sunny afternoon as tea break. It’s the hearty feeling that counts…

By adding some whole grain barley to the pot, it further improves our health alongside an enhanced flavour of the soup, with its appealing chewy and paste-like consistency. Barley helps to reduce water retention in the body, too.

Ingredients:
200 gram whole green beans (about 1 cup)
100 gram of pearl barley (about ½ cup)
1 pot of water, 70% filled (about 2000ml)
3 Pandan leaves, washed and cut off dead edges
1 big lump of crystal rock sugar (about 75gram)

Method:
1) Wash green beans in running tap water.

2) Place beans in a pot of water. Bring beans and water to a boil over medium fire. Cover with lid.

3) Briefly wash pearl barley, and place in the pot, when water boiled.

4) Tie Pandan leaves together into a knot. Add in Pandan leaves and rock sugar into boiling water.

5) Reduce heat to low fire, simmer for about 45 min to 1 hour, or until beans have slightly expanded out of their skins. Texture of beans and barley should be soft and fluffy.

With just 3 Pandan leaves added in the soup, the Pandan flavour will not be over-whelmed. It added just extra fragrance to the soup, and in your palate.

A bowl of green bean and barley dessert soup counts about 200kcal.

Yes, I cooked a pot of green bean soup early this morning. Brought some to work for my colleagues as well, and it was a hit as green bean soup makes good breakfast (or rather good late breakfast… chuckling), too!

Tips: Ratio of water : beans/barley should be 3 : 1.
*Add more water and/or sugar, if necessary.