Bubur kacang hijau, often abbreviated as burjo, is a traditional porridge made from mung beans, palm sugar and coconut milk. It’s deliciously sweet and packed with a lot of nutrients. Children and adults love this dish, and this dish contributes to the community, too! Burjo is often distributed in POSYANDU (Pos Pelayanan Terpadu), a monthly clinic that provides vaccinations and nutritional supplements to children and pregnant women, to help nourish children.
Among Indonesians, bubur kacang hijau is a popular snack. Hawkers peddle it on food carts, and it is also available at permanent warung tenda (food tent stalls) that sell roti bakar (grilled bread). People usually enjoy it in the evening with family or friends, but they also have it for breakfast and anytime during the day. Just like any other Indonesian dish, burjo is enjoyed wherever and whenever we feel like it.
This porridge can be served either warm or cold. When served cold, ice is added and it is called es kacang hijau or kacang hijau with ice. Es kacang hijau is refreshingly great on a hot day. Sometimes people make a very thin, watery burjo, then portion it into small plastic bags, tie each with a rubber band, and freeze them to make popsicles. It’s delightful for children as it is sweet, fun and yet healthier than other popsicles, which are made from syrup. When taken warm, this dish is often served with additional toppings such as black glutinous rice, durian, jackfruit, etc., meant to complement the flavour of the porridge.
Always choose new beans when cooking this dish to get the best results. Soak the beans before cooking to reduce the cooking time. Some people like their porridge thinner and some prefer it thicker. To thicken the porridge, add a little bit of rice flour. I personally like this porridge a little bit thick and I really love eating it piping hot during a cold, rainy day. After a bowl of this sweet, creamy and gingery mung bean porridge, I am always ready to brace even the worst weather ever.
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Bubur Kacang Hijau: Mung Bean & Coconut Dessert Porridge (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Indonesian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This delicious dessert porridge, made of coconut milk and mung beans, is an addictive yet healthy sweet snack full of nutritional goodness.
Ingredients
- 250 mung beans
- 150 gr palm sugar
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted
- 4 cm ginger, peeled, sliced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 lt water
- 2 tsp rice flour (optional)
- 150 ml coconut milk
Instructions
- Wash the mung beans thoroughly and then soak for 1 hour.
- Boil the palm sugar with 200 ml water (out of the 1 litre) until it’s completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Put the mung beans in a cooking pot, add the remaining water, pandan leaves and ginger.
- Cook the mung bean over medium high heat. When the soup boils, lower the heat to medium low.
- Sieve the palm sugar syrup and add it to the soup.
- Add sugar and salt.
- Cook for about 1 hour or until the mung bean is tender. Add more hot water if necessary.
- Dilute the rice flour with 2 tbsp of water, and then slowly add it to the porridge. Stir gently.
- Add the coconut milk, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. The mung bean porridge is ready to serve.
Keywords: Non-spicy, Vegan, Common ingredients, ginger
