Stir-fried beef with bean sprouts

When I found bean sprouts at the local grocery store, it suddenly made me want to cook something typically Japanese. I clearly remember when I was a child, one day my mother asked me to go and buy some vegetables for her, and since I only had 50 cents left, I asked the shopkeeper for the cheapest vegetable he had. And this is how I bought my first bean sprouts. It was amazing for a young six-year-old girl like me to be able to buy bean sprouts in the very heart of Tokyo just for 50 cents! Later at age 16, when I wanted to become slimmer (like most other teenage girls at that time) I rediscovered the pleasure of eating bean sprouts, which were both light and healthy, and I have become a keen eater of bean sprouts ever since.

I usually associate bean sprouts with Chinese, Vietnamese or Japanese cuisine, but they have been eaten in many parts of the world. Although bean sprouts are often thought to have originated from India, the habit of eating sprouts started even before Christ. In 16th century Chinese medicinal books, there is a detailed description of bean sprouts used for food as well as for herbalism. Both in China and Japan, bean sprouts used to be cultivated in volcanic areas to combat scurvy because at that era people lacked vitamin C. There was a need for people to eat fresh vegetables to survive during the winter. This explains the infiltration of bean sprouts into Asian cuisine.

Westerners only discovered bean sprouts about 30 years ago. They valued them as a fresh vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. Now there are several types of bean sprouts, each nutritious in their own way. Soybean sprouts, for example, contain lots of protein and less fat, which is ideal for vegetarian meals. Alfalfa sprouts are rich in vitamin A and carotene. There are perfect to satisfy you without the fear of putting on weight. And they are also very healthy too! Bean sprouts can be parboiled for just 30 seconds and eaten as a salad, or stir-fried with rice. They are easy to prepare which is one of the reasons why they are popular and particularly adapted to the modern busy big city lifestyle from New York to Tokyo. Although I lead a rather laid-back life in the west coast of France, I just love bean sprouts for their crunchiness and I particularly enjoy their fresh taste and their low calories which suits both my mouth and my waist! I believe the best things in life are simple and for me, eating a Japanese dish with my husband in our over-grown garden feels just like heaven. It is very pleasant when you can eat something that reminds you of your origins and childhood. That makes you feel very calm and relaxed as if you were protected by your memories. The recipe presented here is not a treat but rather a home-cooked meal that you can share and enjoy with your family.

Written by Yuko Tamaki-Welply
A member of TranNet and freelance translator based in France

Stir-fried beef with bean sprouts

♦ INGREDIENTS
(4 servings)
T   = tablespoon
t   = teaspoon
c   = cup

120g   Bean sprouts, hair removed, well rinsed
200g   Beef, thinly sliced
2   Carrots, thinly sliced
3T   Soy sauce
2T   Sesame Oil
1T   Sugar
1t   Shallots (kotamanegi), chopped


♦ How to make Stir-fried beef with bean sprouts
1. Make the marinade by mixing 3T of soy sauce, 1T of sugar and 1T of sesame oil in a soup bowl.
2. Add the beef into the marinade and let stand around 15 minutes.
3. Place a frying pan or wok over high heat and coat well with 1T of sesame oil. Stir-fry the beef from marinade until slightly rare.
4. Add the carrots and stir-fry them well.
5. Pour the marinade bit by bit from the rid of the pan, so that it does not get burnt quickly.
6. Add the bean sprouts quickly and stir-fry.
7. Serve immediately on a small oval platter, sprinkled with chopped shallots. May serve with rice.