Produce
Bean sprouts
Also called mung bean sprouts, soybean sprouts
Germinated beans sold for their crunch. Mung-bean sprouts are the pale, delicate ones in pad thai. They are not the same, and both die if you boil them like cabbage.
Origin
Sprouting beans is an East and Southeast Asian habit that turns a dry staple into a fresh vegetable without a garden.
Flavour
Fresh, nutty, slightly grassy, with a snap. Old sprouts smell of the bin and feel slimy even before you cook them.
How to use it
Blanch mung sprouts for a few seconds and soybean sprouts a little longer, then drain hard. For bibimbap namul, season soybean sprouts with sesame oil, garlic and salt while they are warm. In pad thai they often go in raw or barely wilted at the end so they stay crisp. Overcooking turns them to grey strings. Do not salt the blanching water heavily if you will season after; they take on water and go limp. Rinse off the bean-husk debris before you cook.
Storage
Fridge, in a breathable bag, and use within a couple of days. Do not freeze.
Recipes using it
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