Korean Bean Sprout Salad

When we go to a Korean restaurant for a meal, we generally enjoy the main dish, but the really fun part is all the little banchan that come with it; anywhere from just a couple to 6 or 8 little side dishes. Are they salads? Pickles?  Often slightly pickle-y salads, but we've had bits of pancake, and fishy things, and, well, you just never know quite what will turn up!

Oh, that's not completely true. This one almost always turns up, as does kim-chee. This dish is milder than most, and mostly provides a nice juicy, crunchy texture that's very refreshing.

This recipe is essentially from Maangchi's food blog.

4 servings
10 minutes prep time; 1 hour rest time

350 grams (12 ounces) bean sprouts
1 green onion
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Wash and pick over the bean sprouts. Bring a pot of about a litre of water to a boil, and boil the sprouts for 1 minute, then immediately drain them and rinse them in cold water to stop them cooking further. Drain them well and put them in a mixing bowl.

Wash, trim and chop the green onion finely. Peel and mince the garlic. Add them to the sprouts with the remaining ingredients. Toss them in, then let rest (in the fridge) for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Posted in: Ontario Food