Seasoned Bean Sprouts.

Posted on May 26, 2016 by kpopjacketlady

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Before I talk about the recipe I used I want to make sure that everyone knows the dangers of eating raw or undercooked beans. Beans contain something called Lectin which in some foods can be harmful. Different foods and even different beans contain different amounts, with Red Kidney beans containing the most. Green beans contain a different kind of Lectin which only causes problems for some people. You can get rid of the Lectin by soaking, and/or cooking the beans. You can also use canned beans in recipes instead of having to soak dried beans before cooking. Bean Sprouts are not as bad as beans, but they have been tied to e-coli and salmonella outbreaks, so if a recipe says to soak or to cook something it is often for a reason and it is best to follow the recipe. Should that put you off eating an otherwise healthy food? That is a question only you can answer.

In Korea this recipe would be made with soybean sprouts which are usually available at your local Korean grocery shop. I substituted mung bean sprouts as they were available just at my local grocery store. The main difference in preparation is that soybean sprouts should be cooked/steamed for about 10 minutes while mung bean sprouts need about 3 to 4 minutes. When soybean sprouts are used the recipe is called Kong Namul and is a very popular side dish. There are quite a few slight variations of this seasoned vegetable side dish.

Seasoned Bean Sprouts.

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Take a pound of mung bean sprouts and rinse them under cold water. Pick out any dead or icky bits. Finely cut up 4 tablespoons of green onions or scallions, put to one side. Crush 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, preferably roasted sesame seeds.

In a medium saucepan put 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt on to boil. Once that is boiling place sprouts into pan and cover with lid, reducing heat to low. You are aiming to steam the sprouts instead of actually boiling them. Steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain any excess water and place sprouts in a bowl. Immediately add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the chopped up spring onions, 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes, and one tablespoon dark sesame oil. You want to mix everything together while the sprouts are warm as that helps the flavors develop.

Mix it all together and allow to cool before putting in a container and putting in the refrigerator. It will last 2 days in the refrigerator.

Now that you have the basic recipe down you can start changing it up a bit, add some minced garlic, a bit of red pepper paste, or even minced ginger if you’d like, because all you’re really doing is making your vegetables taste good. So your personal taste matters. I made a second batch with some extras in it and you can see the color change from the first photo. I did add some garlic and a bit of red pepper paste and that really made the flavors pop.