Bean sprouts

Sprouts have had a new lease of life as a health food bursting with nutrients. In this form they are often added raw to salads and sandwiches. They are even more beneficial when (briefly) cooked, so it seems more than a coincidence that bean sprouts are an essential part of so many of the stir-fried dishes of China and Southeast Asia. The common or garden bean sprout is a germinated mung bean. These have a long crunchy stem. Soya sprouts are stumpy and more strongly flavoured. Even in these days of instant packing and total refrigeration, bean sprouts are not an item to stockpile – forgotten in the fridge they soon lose their crunch and start to taste fermented.