Indonesian Mung Bean Fritters – Perkedel Kacang Hijau

Mung bean fritters may sound unusual. And Mung beans may not be as popular as other legumes. But they’re as healthy and very tasty. If you don’t know what Mung beans are and never had them before, let me show you what it is and give you an idea of what to make out of Mung beans.

What are Mung beans used for?

Mung beans may not be as popular as other legumes such as black-eyed beans, chickpeas, or soybeans.

Years ago when I just moved to the UK, I couldn’t find these Mung beans in an ordinary supermarket. I had to go to Chinatown to get these lentils. 

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Now, almost every supermarket sells them. And I can find so many recipes using this superfood in many recipe books or on the internet. Especially for soupy or salad kinds of dishes.

In Indonesia, we call these lentils “Kacang Hijau” which literally means green beans. But if I search for green beans on the internet, it gives me a totally different thing. I couldn’t find the right matching word for it in the English dictionary. It was my sister-in-law who told me that in Urdu these beans are called Mung. So, that’s what westerners call these lovely and beneficial legumes.

Although in Indonesia Mung beans are mostly used for sweet dishes, i.e. Bubur Kacang Ijo, Ganasturi, Perkedel Kacang Ijo, Bolu Kacang Ijo, etc., you can use them in many savory dishes too. 

Do we need to soak Mung beans before cooking?

I was quite surprised to learn that many people suggest soaking the beans overnight before cooking. My mom never does that. She soaks them for a few hours only. BUT, she always washes and rinses the legumes 3-4 times before she cooks/ boils them until the water clears.

When you boil the beans, you’ll know that they’re actually easy to cook. It doesn’t take long to boil them, 15-20 minutes (from the water boiling point) should be more than enough. But you have to make sure that the water is plenty so that they won’t stick to each other. 

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So, next time you make meat casserole or soup, throw in half a cup of Mung beans that have been soaked for a few hours. Your casserole will taste richer and heartier. Or if you wash the lentils and boil them in plenty of water until “al dente”, you can add them to your favorite salad. 

But here in this post, I’m sharing the Mung bean fritters recipe which is fairly easy to make and tastes delish. 

Are Mung beans good for you?

Yes, just like any other legumes, Mung beans have a long list of good-for-health nutrients. High in proteins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and many more, these tiny green lentils have become one superfood and suggested by many health practitioners, dieticians, and holistic practitioners.

Obviously, our overall diet and lifestyle play as big factors for us to get the benefits of this lentil. But you definitely can rely on these beans as one of your diet staples. 

Mung bean fritters

Fritters or “perkedel” in Indonesian, are popular finger food that can be made of many different ingredients. From Perkedel Jagung (sweet corn fritters), Perkedel Kacang Ijo (Mung bean fritters), Perkedel Oncom (fermented soybean “oncom” fritters), Perkedel Tempeh (tempeh fritters), Perkedel Kentang (potato fritters), and many more. 

And my mom used to make them a lot. And we love them. 

So, this time I want to share the recipe for Perkedel Kacang Ijo (Mung). It’s my second favorite after Perkedel Jagung (sweet corn).

The recipe is quite easy and it uses simple ingredients.

Enjoy your fritters with your main meals or as a snack to go along with your nice cuppa. 

Related Posts

Thank you for checking this mung bean fritters recipe. If you enjoy the post, please tell me how you think of the recipe in the comments below. And don’t forget to pin the post on your Pinterest. 

And please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest to sneak a peek at what’s cooking in my kitchen.

Before you go, check out my other recipes that you’ll love as well.

• Indonesian sweet soy chicken/ Ayam kecap manis.
• Lontong sayur Betawi/ vegetable curry with rice cake from Jakarta.
• Not-too-spicy chicken kebab patties.
• Gado-gado Jakarta/ salad with peanut sauce from Jakarta.

Thank you and all the best.

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4.75 from 8 votes

Indonesian Mung Bean fritters

Mung beans may not be as popular as other legumes, but they’re as healthy and very tasty. This fritter recipe is rooted in my mom's Indonesian "perkedel Kacang Hijau". Something that my mom used to make for our afternoon snacks.

Author: Devy Dar

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Snacks & Starters

Cuisine: Indonesian

Servings: 14

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Cook ModeKeep your screen on

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup dried mung beans washed and drained
• ▢ 1.5-2 cups of water
• ▢ 2 heaped tbsp of plain flour
• ▢ 2 Eggs.
• ▢ 4-6 spring onions/ scallions finely sliced.
• ▢ 2 Chilies finely chopped (optional)
• ▢ 2 cloves of Garlic crushed or finely chopped.
• ▢ 1 tsp each of dried spices ground coriander, ground cumin, black or white pepper
• ▢ Salt according to taste I put 1 tsp
• ▢ Cooking oil.

Video

Instructions

• Firstly, you boil the beans before you do anything else. I personally prefer the beans to be “al dente”. To achieve this, make sure you put plenty of water. And you have to keep an eye on the pan. Because the beans cook fairly quickly once the water gets to boiling point.
• If you’re going to share your fritters with your little one who is as young as 9 months old, you might want to boil the beans until they’re thoroughly cooked and a bit soft. Just take care, and don’t let them get softened too much to the point of becoming mushy. 
• Once they’re boiled, drained and cooled, put the Mung beans in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir and mix well.
• Heat the oil to 180 C/ 356 F in a frying pan or a wok.
• Carefully slide one tablespoon of the bean mix into the oil and deep fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the edges. 

Notes

• If your fritters break when you fry them, it means there’s too much water content in the beans. So you may have to put more flour, around 1-2 tbsp.
• These fritters are good to freeze too. You can make them in batch, and then keep them in the freezer. Warm them up in the microwave, or in the oven if you prefer them slightly crispy on the edges.
• You can put the fritters in a tortilla wrap or pitta bread with a bit of salad, yogurt and chili sauce. 
• Or, you can omit the chili from the recipe so that you can give the fritters to your little ones. The fritters will be one of your children’s superfood recipes. They’re good for school packed-lunch too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 58mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g

Disclaimer

Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.