Mung bean

The mung bean is the seed of Vigna radiata (Fabaceae), which is native to India. It is also known as green gram, golden gram and (misleadingly) green soy.

The mung bean is one of many species recently moved from Phaseolus to Vigna and is still often seen cited as Phaseolus aureus or Phaseolus radiatus. These are all the same plant.

Mung beans are commonly used in Chinese cooking. Germinated mung bean sprouts (usually sold simply as 'bean sprouts') are stir fried (usually with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, spring onions or salted fish pieces to add taste) as a vegetable accompaniment to a meal. Mung beans may also be used to make a sweet soup. Mung beans are ground to make transparent cellophane noodles (also known as glass noodles, fen si or tung hoon). Glass noodles become soft and slippery when they are soaked in hot water.

Mung beans in Indian cuisine are stripped of their outer coats to make mung dal.