Bean sprouts are usually used as accompanying ingredients in many Asian dishes especially noodles. They are low in calories yet rich in Vitamin C.
Vietnamese cuisine uses bean sprouts generously in their dishes like Pho, for example. They are usually served raw. However, in Malaysia, bean sprouts are normally served lightly cooked.
Blanching bean sprouts
The cooking process is pretty quick as bean sprouts can also be eaten raw. This recipe calls for the blanching of the bean sprouts for about 60 seconds to maintain its crunchiness.
Subsequently, preparing the accompanying sauce requires no more than a minute.
Should the roots be removed?
I am a little picky when preparing bean sprouts. The roots and beans of the bean sprouts need to be removed. This will take a bit of time but it is well worth the effort as the dish would be clean and looks more presentable.
It is highly important to clean bean sprouts well as they can be very easily contaminated. Hence, cleaning and cooking them reduce the risk of contamination.
How to serve bean sprouts?
Small bits of fried salted fish, scallions and slices of fresh red chilies are used as garnishing and to enhance the taste. It definitely adds more flavour to the dish besides making it more appetizing.
In this recipe, bean sprouts are served with a sprinkle of fried garlic. This dish is also served as an accompaniment with Hainanese chicken rice.