The Back Yard Lemon Tree

Continuing with my love of Korean side dishes or banchan, is this simple mung bean sprout side. Apart from being an essential part of the Korean rice bowl – Bimbimbap, this recipe uses an entire packet of bean sprouts, so it solves the problem of having half a pack of bean sprouts rotting away in your fridge. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days, so you can make up a jar of this gochujang sauce and eat bibimbap for two or three days. I have re-discovered the joy of rice bowls for mid-week eating, they are a great way of using up various vegetables hiding in the back of your fridge. Stir fry some greens, chop up some cucumber, boil up some frozen edamame beans and add this mung bean sprout side and you have dinner in no time.

Korean mung bean sprout side

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Maangchi

• 400 – 500g (1 pound) mung bean sprouts
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt flakes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add sprouts, stir them around and blanch them for 1 minute. Drain sprouts and place them in a large bowl of cold water.
2. Rinse the sprouts in a couple of changes of water, shaking the sprouts in the water so the loose skins of the sprouts drop off. Drain cleaned sprouts well.
3. In a large bowl mix together garlic, salt, green onions, toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Place drained sprouts in bowl with dressing and gently mix dressing through the sprouts with your hands.
4. Serve sprouts at room temperature. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for three days.