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INSTANT POT MUNG BEAN STEW

Sarah
Give yourself a much-needed break in the kitchen! Whip up this Instant Pot Mung Bean Stew for a meal that cuts way back on cooking time, but not flavour.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course soup & stew
Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings 2 -4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 medium potato peeled, cut into 1" cubes
  • 3-4 skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 and ½ cup canned diced tomatoes 16oz/376ml
  • 1 cup of dried mung beans washed
  • 1 chicken stock cube*
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ bunch of spinach washed, roughly chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves pressed or minced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper diced

Spices:

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric ground
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • 1 " ginger root finely diced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Garnish: 

    Sumac onions**, limes/ lemon and cilantro/ parsley

      Instructions
       

      • Sauté the onions. In your 6qt Instant Pot/ pressure cooker set to sauté on medium heat, add oil, ghee and onions. Keep an eye on the onions, stir frequently. You want the onions to be a golden colour. Add in all the spices and sauté 2 minutes until fragrant.
      • Coat the chicken in the spices. Add the chicken to the Instant Pot, allow the chicken to be coated in the spices, 2-3 minutes (chicken should be a nice yellow colour from the turmeric). Once the chicken is coated in the spices, add the potatoes and give a good stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes⏤we're just coating them in the spices.
      • Toss in the mung beans & tomatoes. Add in your mung beans, garlic and diced tomatoes. Stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
      • Season. Add the stock cube and water to the soup, stir everything. Turn off the sauté function.
      • Set the Instant Pot. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to the bean/chilli function and time for 15 minutes. Once the time is finished, you can choose to do a quick release or a low release. I prefer a 5-minute slow release. I'll leave the choice up to you.
      • Release the pressure. Remove the lid. If the stew looks a bit dry, add ½ cup of water. (don't worry, it won't affect the taste too much.) Take out the chicken thighs allow cooling slightly on a plate. Remove the meat from the bones.
      • Final Touches. As the chicken cools, add the spinach and bell peppers to the stew. Stir and cover for 5 minutes to allow the final ingredients to cook and flavours to marry each other. After 5 minutes, add the chicken meat back into the stew. You may need to adjust the salt at this point.
      • Serve. Ladle the stew in a shallow bowl and serve with sumac onions, cilantro, and lime.

      Notes

      Stovetop: Use a 6qt pot or dutch oven and follow all the directions of the recipe with the exception of adding 1 additional cup of water and simmer for 40 minutes on medium high heat.
      *Omit the stock cube for actual stock or broth if you it on hand.
      **Sumac Onion: 1 red onion sliced, 1 tablespoon sumac, 2 tablespoon parsley, and a pinch of salt. Let sit 30 minute at room temperature before using.
      This dish serves 4 people as a side or 2 people as a main. 
      Keyword instant pot mung stew, mung stew