If you figure it out, it’s a simple Chinese-style bean sprouts stir-fried with garlic, green onion, ginger, dried pepper, and even Sichuan peppercorns. It’s easy but excellent, similar to our popular stir-fried bok choy.
You can use it as a side dish. It differs from Korean-style bean sprout salad in that it has a spicy and acidic flavor. My favorite way is to serve it with some natural “high protein” dishes like Hong Shao Rou Red Braised Pork Belly or Sweet and Sour Short Ribs.
Using aromatic chili peppers in stir-frying vegetables is a very popular method in Sichuan. The oil absorbs the flavor of those ingredients and then coats the vegetables. If you love Sichuan peppercorns, add some dried Sichuan peppercorns for a unique numbing sensation.
Bean sprouts were my childhood food when I watched my grandmother grow them in a large bamboo basket. He then cooked them in many ways: in soups, in stir-fries and even as a salad. We could have a side of vegetables for about 2-3 days with just a bowl of bean sprouts or mung beans.
Breakdown of ingredients
- Bean sprouts: This dish uses bean sprouts, which provide a mild, slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture. You can use either bean sprouts or mung bean sprouts.
- Garlic and ginger: Garlic and ginger add a pungent, slightly spicy flavor.
- Dried chili peppers: Dried chili peppers add heat and depth of flavor to the dish. The amount used can be adjusted according to your taste preferences. It is a typical method of Sichuan cuisine in which we use dried chilli mainly for the aromatic substances but not for that the spicy taste. You can also use paper chips.
- Light soy sauce: Soy sauce is a key ingredient in many Asian cuisines and provides a salty, savory, unami flavor.
- Black vinegar: Black vinegar has a milder taste than other types of vinegar and is often used in Chinese cooking. It adds a slightly acidic flavor to the dish, not strong but noticeable in the final dish.
Cook’s note
- Heat the wok or skillet before adding the oil. Since we are frying quickly, the wok needs to be kept hot enough. Move the cabbage to the wok to take full advantage of the wok heating.
- Be sure to drain the bean sprouts completely before frying them.
Step by step instructions
Remove the roots of the bean sprouts. I don’t know your opinion, but in my opinion bean sprouts don’t taste good. Sometimes the roots are already removed before packing. If not, I still recommend removing these roots.
Wash gently and drain thoroughly. This is the fundamental step to guarantee the success of the dish. So do this step at the beginning.
First, heat the wok first and pour in the oil. Add garlic, ginger, dried chilli and fry on low heat until aromatic. Please add aromatics before the oil becomes very hot as this could cause the garlic or chilli to burnbringing bitterness to the bean sprouts.
Immediately add the bean sprouts. Quickly fry the bean sprouts and green onion sections and add salt, light soy sauce and vinegar. This process should complete within 30 seconds.
Mix with sesame oil and transfer immediately.
- 200 G soybean sprouts
- 2 sliced garlic cloves
- 1 thumb ginger root chopped
- from 3 to 6 dried chilli depending on how spicy you want it
- 1 table spoon. light soy sauce
- 1/2 table spoon. black vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon. salt or to taste
- 2 table spoon. vegetable cooking oil
- 2 shallot cut into sections
- 1 teaspoon. sesame oil
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Remove the roots of the bean sprouts. Wash gently and drain thoroughly. This is the fundamental step to guarantee the success of the dish.
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Heat the wok first and pour in the oil. Add the dried chilli, sauté over low heat until aromatic, also add the garlic and ginger.
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Immediately add the bean sprouts. Quickly fry the bean sprouts and green onion sections and add salt, light soy sauce and vinegar. This process should complete within 30 seconds.
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Mix with sesame oil and transfer immediately.
Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 9G | Protein: 4G | Fat: 18G | Saturated fat: 3G | Polyunsaturated fats: 10G | Monounsaturated fats: 4G | Trans fats: 0.1G | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3G | Sugar: 5G | Vitamin A: 340UI | Vitamin C: 17mg | Soccer: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
