Have you ever tried growing vegetables in your kitchen? I’ve shared a post on homegrown garlic sprouts<\/a> previously. Today I’d like to introduce another versatile vegetable that you can easily produce at home: Mung bean sprouts (绿豆芽). A quick and tasty stir-fry recipe is also included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are mung bean sprouts<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In my food-related childhood memories, mung beans (绿豆)<\/a> have a distinctive presence. These little, dried green beans were made into many delicious dishes: Mung bean congee, mung bean cake, chilled mung bean soup, and many others. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the most fascinating thing was to watch my dad sprout them at home. Kept in a moist, dark environment, mung beans would grow white, long, crunchy sprouts within a few days. It was magical in my eyes!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Homegrown$ <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Known as lǜ Dòu Yá (绿豆芽) in Chinese, mung bean sprouts are widely used in Chinese cuisine<\/strong> to create savoury dishes, such as stir-fries, salads & soup. I love their crispy, juicy texture and the fact that they are low in calories<\/strong> (about 30 calories\/100g) but packed with healthy nutrients<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Three golden rules to follow<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To successfully grow mung bean sprouts at home, you need to follow three golden rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Use good quality mung beans<\/strong> which are plump, smooth and uniform in size.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Make sure the beans are always moist, but not waterlogged<\/strong>, throughout the sprouting process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Block light<\/strong> as much as possible to avoid colour change and bitterness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Please be aware that the warmer the room temperature is, the faster the beans would sprout. So the time required varies. It usually takes between 4-6 days<\/strong> for the entire process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Equipment required<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"Equipment$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Before you start, make sure you have the following items at hand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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A colander (or a large sieve)<\/strong>. The beans will sprout inside the colander. The holes of the colander will help to drain off the water effectively while rinsing the beans twice a day during the process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A large, non-transparent bowl<\/strong>. It should be big enough to hold the colander. It collects any water dripping off the colander and blocks the light.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Two pieces of cloth (eg. tea towels)<\/strong>. Preferably, they should be dense enough to block the light. One piece is for covering the beans. The other is for covering the entire bowl.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A plate that fits in the colander.<\/strong> It is placed on top of the cloth which covers the beans. The weight helps the bean sprouts to grow fatter and straighter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Four steps to sprout mung beans<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
STEP 1: Prepare the mung beans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choose good quality mung beans which are plump, smooth & uniform in size. Remove the poor quality beans which are dark or wrinkled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"soaked$ <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rinse the mung beans thoroughly. Then put the beans into a bowl filled with clean water. Leave to soak until they double in size and some tiny sprouts appear. This process takes about 1-2 days depending on the quality of the beans and the room temperature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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STEP 2: Set up the sprouting bowl<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Drain the beans. Place them in a colander. Spread to reduce overlapping. Cover with a wet towel then place a plate on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Mung$ <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Put the colander inside a large bowl (non-transparent). Then cover with a piece of cloth to block light. Leave in a cool, shady place. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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STEP 3: Rinse twice a day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In the next 3-5 days, rinse the beans under running water twice a day (Set alarms in case you forget). This is how to do it each time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Water$ <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Uncover the bowl. Remove the colander.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Take the plate away but do not remove the towel over the beans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Rinse under running water. Then put the plate back.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Place the colander back into the bowl. Cover with the cloth.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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STEP 4: Harvest and store<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When the bean sprouts are fully grown, pull them out of the colander (the roots will be caught in the holes). Store in a sealable bag in the fridge for up to three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$\"Homegrown$ <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before using, rinse the sprouts several times to remove most of the green skin off the beans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How to use mung bean sprouts<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As a commonly used ingredient, mung bean sprouts play a versatile role in Chinese cuisine. They are appreciated for their crispy, juicy texture and the mild bean flavour. Here are the popular ways to cook them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Pair with meat.<\/strong> In stir-fry dishes, mung bean sprouts go well with pork, beef, chicken or fish. The classic delicacies like Sichuan Boiled Beef<\/a> & Sichuan Boiled Fish<\/a> often use them as an accompaniment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Cook with noodles.<\/strong> It’s very popular to add mung bean sprouts to fried noodle dishes, for example, the Cantonese classic Beef Chow Fun<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Make a salad.<\/strong> Blanche the bean sprouts in boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain then leave to cool. Season with the dressing for Smashed Cucumber Salad<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Do a Stir-fry.<\/strong> The recipe included in this post is a good example.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
How to make a tasty stir-fry<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$\"A$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Stir-frying mung bean sprouts is super easy. Having some herbs & seasoning ready at hand, you can finish cooking in just 2 minutes.<\/strong> To make the dish colourful and tasty, I include the following ingredients: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Garlic, fresh red chilli, scallions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Sichuan pepper<\/a>. It adds an interesting flavour kick but please feel free to omit if unavailable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Light soy sauce<\/a>, Chinese black rice vinegar<\/a>, a little salt and sugar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
$\"Stir-frying$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
To retain the crispiness of the sprouts, you need to fry them on highest possible heat and act fast without overcooking<\/strong>. Otherwise, you might end up with a soggy, watery dish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>
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$\"Stir$ <\/div>\n\t
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STEP 1: Prepare the mung beans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nChoose good quality mung beans which are plump, smooth & uniform in size. Remove the poor quality beans which are dark or wrinkled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 2: Set up the sprouting bowl<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDrain the beans. Place them in a colander. Spread to reduce overlapping. Cover with a wet towel then place a plate on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 3: Rinse twice a day<\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn the next 3-5 days, rinse the beans under running water twice a day (Set alarms in case you forget). This is how to do it each time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 4: Harvest and store<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen the bean sprouts are fully grown, pull them out of the colander (the roots will be caught in the holes). Store in a sealable bag in the fridge for up to three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 1: Prepare the mung beans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choose good quality mung beans which are plump, smooth & uniform in size. Remove the poor quality beans which are dark or wrinkled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 2: Set up the sprouting bowl<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Drain the beans. Place them in a colander. Spread to reduce overlapping. Cover with a wet towel then place a plate on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 3: Rinse twice a day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In the next 3-5 days, rinse the beans under running water twice a day (Set alarms in case you forget). This is how to do it each time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 4: Harvest and store<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When the bean sprouts are fully grown, pull them out of the colander (the roots will be caught in the holes). Store in a sealable bag in the fridge for up to three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n