One-pan mung bean and tomato rice with crispy onion

This one-pan vegetarian centrepiece or side is inspired by our heart-warming munggo guisado, with pretty little mung-bean pearls strewn on top, crisp onion rings taking the place of chicharon and rice that’s traditionally served on the side cooked in with the dish to soak up all the flavour.

Credit: Under Coconut Skies

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 100 g (½ cup) mung beans
• 35 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 onions, 3 thinly sliced into rings on a mandoline, 1 finely chopped
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable oil, plus extra if needed
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4-cm (1½ in) piece of ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
• 200 g (1 cup) jasmine rice
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp fish sauce or vegan fish sauce
• coriander (cilantro) or moringa (drumstick) leaves, to serve

Instructions

1. Place the mung beans in a saucepan, cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 12 minutes or until the beans are tender, but still have bite. Drain and set aside.
2. Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt on a large plate. Working in batches, toss the onion rings in the flour mixture, gently separating most of the rings. Heat 160 ml (5½ fl oz) of the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until very hot – it should sizzle vigorously when a test onion ring is added to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium–high, add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes each side until crisp (adjust the heat if the rings are browning too quickly). Drain on paper towel and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining onion rings, adding extra oil to the pan if needed.
3. Heat the remaining 40 ml (1¼ fl oz) of oil in a 26 cm (10¼ in) diameter deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes or until starting to break down. Add the rice and sugar and stir well to coat, then add the stock, fish sauce and mung beans and bring to the boil. Cover, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and stand for 10 minutes or until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Top with the crispy onions and herbs, and serve in the pan.

 

Recipe and image from Under Coconut Skies by Yasmin Newman, Smith Street Books, RRP $55.00.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.