Name: Mung bean sprouts — the pale, crisp, juicy sprouts of mung beans (Vigna radiata), with thick white stems and small yellowish heads, the most common bean sprout in Asian cooking.
Description
Mung beans are native to India, and have been grown and sprouted in Asia for thousands of years, and the sprouts are a staple in Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Indian cooking. They are grown in the dark, with regular watering, and are ready to eat in three to five days. Mung bean sprouts are the sprouts sold as “bean sprouts” in most supermarkets.
They are sweet, mild and crunchy, and are a key ingredient in pad thai, pho, spring rolls, chop suey and Korean kongnamul dishes. Their growing conditions are warm and humid, which also suit bacteria, so safe handling is important.
Main nutrition value
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Mung bean sprouts are low in calories, and provide vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, fibre and some protein.
How best to be consumed
Mung bean sprouts are best cooked briefly, and eaten fresh.
- Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes over high heat, so they stay crisp.
- Add to noodle soups, pad thai and fried rice at the end.
- Blanch for 30 seconds for spring rolls and salads.
- Use as a fresh topping for pho and banh mi.
- Buy fresh, white, firm sprouts, and store in the fridge for a day or two.
Overconsumption could cause…
Mung bean sprouts are safe when fresh and cooked, but a known food-poisoning risk when raw.
- Food poisoning (E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria) from raw or lightly cooked sprouts, because warm, humid sprouting conditions favour bacteria, so they are not advised raw for pregnant women, young children, older people and those with weak immune systems.
- Allergic reactions in people allergic to legumes.
- Soggy, smelly sprouts if kept too long, which should be thrown away.
- Gas and bloating from the fermentable carbohydrates in some people.
Wikipedia — Mung bean, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mung_bean
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