Mash is the small green mung bean (Vigna radiata), originally from South Asia. It is the main pulse in Uzbek cooking, used in soups, plov and porridges, and it tastes milder and more delicate than ordinary beans.
Rice & staples
Mash (whole mung beans)
Uzbek mash (mung beans): small green beans for mashkhurda, mastava and plov with mash. They cook quickly and turn soft.
Mash, the small green mung bean, is a staple of Uzbek home cooking: it goes into mashkhurda, mastava with mash, plov with mash and meat-free soups. It cooks faster than ordinary beans or chickpeas, turns soft and has a neutral taste, so it readily takes on zira (cumin), coriander and tomato.
- Origin
- Uzbekistan / Kyrgyzstan
- Category
- Pulses
- Packaging
- Loose from 200 g, packed 1 kg
- Shelf life
- Up to 24 months in a dry, dark place
- Certification
- Halal, certified by ALHALAL
Mash is an everyday ingredient in Uzbek kitchens. In the Fergana Valley it goes into plov with fresh herbs and into mastava; in Samarkand it is cooked into mashkhurda, a thick, spiced soup. It pairs well with lamb and beef, and is just as good in a meat-free version with carrots, potatoes and herbs.
Whole mash needs no long soak: 1–2 hours in cold water is enough. Added to boiling stock, the beans are done in 25–40 minutes. For a softer texture, leave them in cold water overnight, and they will cook in about 20 minutes.
At the counter we weigh out as much as you need, from 200 g for one family pot of soup to 1–2 kg for the store cupboard. Good mash is an even green, with no black specks or dry dust, and that is the kind we try to stock.
FAQ
Mash (whole mung beans): common questions
For whole mash, 1–2 hours in cold water is enough to wash off the dust and shorten the cooking time. If you want it to cook quickly, soak it overnight, and it will take 20 minutes instead of 40.
It goes into mashkhurda (a thick, spiced soup with lamb), mastava with mash (a rice and meat soup), plov with mash, and meat-free porridges with zira and fresh herbs.
Whole mash keeps for up to 2 years in an airtight container somewhere dry and dark. Once soaked and cooked, it keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, covered.
For plov or tea
Everything for dinner at one counter
At Arkan Bazar in Riga you can get everything for a meal in one go: rice, spices, dried fruit, flatbread and tea. Planning a family celebration or cooking for a large group? Write to us through the form in advance, and we will have your order ready on time.