Mung bean sprouts are a culinary vegetable grown by sprouting mung beans. They can be grown by placing and watering the sprouted beans in the shade until the roots grow long. Mung bean sprouts are extensively cultivated and consumed in East Asia.

Cultivation

A variety of techniques are used for sprouting mung beans. A common technique for home growers is sprouting the beans in a jar, with a fine mesh or muslin cloth tied over the top with a rubber band or string. Fresh water is then poured into the jar three to four times a day; the jars are then upturned and left to drain. The precise growing technique to use depends on the amount that one wants to collect. The main principles are: selecting good seed (new and uniform), ensuring that light reaches the seeds, and also ensuring they receive enough humidity while avoiding waterlogging.^[1]

Sprouting mung beans in a jar

Culinary use

Stir-fried mung bean sprouts and mushrooms

Mung bean sprouts can be microwaved or stir fried. They may also be used as an ingredient, e.g., for spring rolls.

China

InChinese cuisine, common dishes that may use mung bean sprouts, known as dòuyá (豆芽), are fried rice, spring rolls, egg drop soup, and hot and sour soup.^[2]

Stir-fried turnip cake and mung bean sprouts

Japan

InJapanese cuisine, moyashi (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help), "bean sprout") in a strict sense refers to the mung bean sprout. They are a common ingredient in many Japanese dishes such as stir-fries and soups.

Ramen with mung bean sprout topping

Korea

InKorean cuisine, sukjunamul (숙주나물) or kongnamul (콩나물) refers to both the mung bean sprouts themselves and the namul (seasoned vegetable dish) made from mung bean sprouts. Mung bean sprouts are not as common an ingredient as soybean sprouts in Korean cuisine, but they are used in bibimbap, in the fillings of dumplings and in sundae (Korean sausage).

The name sukjunamul is a compound of Sukju and namul, of which the former derived from the name of Sin Sukju (1417–1475), one of the prominent Joseon scholars. Sin Sukju betrayed his colleagues and favoured the King's uncle as a claimant to the throne. People regarded Sin Sukju's move as unethical and immoral, and so gave his name to mung bean sprouts, which tend to go bad and spoil very easily.^[3]

Sukjunamul (seasoned mung bean sprouts)
Ojingeo-sundae (squid sundae witha mung bean sprouts and other ingredients as filling

Nepal

InNepalese cuisine, kwati, a soup of nine types of sprouted beans, is especially prepared in a festival of Janai Purnima which normally falls in the month of August. Kwati is prepared by frying and mixing onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, spices and bean sprouts, including mung bean sprouts. A lot of variation exists from house to house but is basically about making the kwati. It is considered to be a nutritious food in Nepal. Kwati is normally eaten with rice. Sometimes meat (esp. fried goat) is also added to spice up the kwati.

Thai

InThai cuisine, mung bean sprouts are usually eaten in soups and stir-fried dishes. In pad thai they are often added to the pan for one quick stir before serving and in soups such as nam ngiao they are sprinkled on top of the dish.^[4]

Pad thai served with mung bean sprouts
Nam ngiao with mung bean sprouts sprinkled on top

Vietnam

Phở with mung bean sprout topping

References

^ Takeguma, Massahiro. "Growing Moyashi". Retrieved 9 April 2013.

^ Bean Sprouts Recipes

^ 송, 백헌 (9 June 2016). "숙주나물, 성삼문과 멀어진 신숙주의 변절" [Sukjunamul, the betrayal of Sin Sukju who became estranged from Seong Sammun]. Joongdoilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 3 January 2017.

^ Bean Sprouts - ThaiTable.com