Chinese Bean Sprouts Recipes

This bean sprouts recipes article talks about the soy and mung bean sprouts, how to choose, clean, prepare and eat them. Last but not least, if you are interested, sprout them.

When a Chinese person talks about bean sprouts 豆芽 (dou ya), they typically refer to two types: soy bean sprouts 黄豆芽 (huang dou ya) and mung bean sprouts 绿豆芽 (lui dou ya).

Both sprouts are very healthy. It is low in calories; about 23 calories per 100g of sprouts. Yet it packs a punch in the nutrients department. High in protein and many trace minerals and vitamins.

Both are mild tasting, in my opinion. They are relatively easy to prepare and can be added to a wide variety of dishes, not just salads. Throw them into soups (my favourite), stir fry them, add them to wraps or savory pancakes, steam or blanch them with some natural vinegar, or juice the mung bean sprouts.

Green Bean Sprouts

Green bean sprouts are also known as mung bean sprouts. It is the most common sprouts used in Southeast Asian cuisine. Mung beans is used widely in Asian cuisine and is the key ingredient in the famous "green bean soup".

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) green bean sprouts is considered cooling and detoxifying. It helps dispel summer heat and harmonizes the 5 major organs. As natural remedies, it is commonly given for hangovers, discomfort from the summer heat, lack of appetite, and general lethargy.

People with high blood pressure and coronary heart disease can eat it more frequently, especially during the summer months where high temperatures may add additional stress to the body. People with urinary tract infection or experience burning sensation when urinating can also try juicing mung bean sprouts.

Japanese researchers found that serving chives with mung bean sprouts can help constipation amongst the elderly and children. It is also beneficial for people with conditions caused by deficiencies in Vitamin A, B2 and C.

Soy Bean Sprouts

Sprouted from soy beans, these are very common in Northeast Asia, especially in Korean cuisine. So far, I haven't seen a Korean dish with mung bean sprouts.

They have a very large yellow head and are bigger than mung bean sprouts.

Soy bean products are ubiquitous in Chinese cuisine. Soy beans benefit greatly from sprouting. The benefits of sprouting is widely recognized. Sprouting advocates will tell you that the amount of protein and trace minerals in beans dramatically increases for better absorption after sprouting. It also eliminates potential bloating experienced by some people.

Selection, Preparation and Cooking

Try to buy those still with their roots intact. They should be dry and firm with no unusual smell. Avoid those that have bruises or are limp.

Soak them in a large colander to dislodge any dirt and grit. Drain well for use.

We typically do not remove the heads, only the roots. As a child, I used to get the bean sprout duty, which means I get to pluck the roots off one stem at a time. It can be quite therapeutic. It is totally optional to remove the roots. They are perfectly safe to eat.

If you decide to remove the roots, do so before soaking and cleaning.

Add a dash of vinegar when blanching the sprouts. It keeps the sprouts looking perky and plump, and protect the vitamins from being destroyed by cooking.

Bean Sprouts Recipes

My #foodporn series. | Beef ball noodles with bean sprouts.

Bean sprouts feature prominently in certain Asian soup dishes. This include laksa, Hokkien prawn noodle, Vietnamese pho soup, Thai rice noodle soup, Japanese ramen and more. They are very easy to use in quick soups. Wash, clean and drain them for use. Drop a bunch into the soup pot and cook for 10 minutes before serving.

1. Bean sprout thickened soup

This recipe uses soy bean sprouts in a slightly thickened soup. The tomato slices can be added slightly later if you prefer them less mushy although cooking them longer means the soup will be sweeter.

Ingredients
100g tomato
50g dried Chinese mushrooms
150g soy bean sprouts
200g bamboo shoots
5 tbsp cornstarch mixture
Salt to taste

Directions

Soak the mushrooms till soft. Remove the stems and cut the mushrooms into half
Remove the heads and roots of the bean sprouts
Slice the tomato and bamboo shoots thinly
Place everything into a soup pot and add 5 cups of water
Bring everything to a boil before lowering the heat and simmer for 20 minutes
Add salt to taste

2. Bean sprout salad

Ingredients

2kg soy mean sprouts
3 tbsp minced garlic
4 red chilli
1 small bunch of chives
3 stalks of spring onion

Seasonings

2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tbsp sugar

Directions

Wash, clean and drain the soy bean sprouts. Removing the roots is optional
Add the salt and marinate it for 12 hours. Rinse off the salt water
Wash the chives and spring onion, drain dry and cut into short strips
Wash the chilli, slice them open and remove the seeds. Slice into thin strips
Combine the seasoning together and mix it with sliced vegetables well
Combine the sliced vegetables and bean sprouts. Store in a container and place inside the refrigerator to chill. Let it stand for at least 1 day before serving. Chill for no more than 3 days.

3. Pickled bean sprouts

Ingredients

300g mung bean sprouts
1 tbsp peppercorns
30ml rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Salt to taste
25ml salad oil

Directions

Wash and clean the bean sprouts. Remove the heads and root
Blanch them for 10 minutes, dunk into cold water, and drain well
Heat up the salad oil in a saute pan and fry the peppercorns till fragrant. Remove them from the oil
Lower the heat a little and flash fry the bean sprouts, add the vinegar, sugar and salt
Combine the cornstarch in some water to make a cornstarch mixture
Add to the sprouts to thicken up a bit.