街市THE WET MARKET
Bean sprouts
芽菜
Mung bean sprouts, crisp and sweet, essential to 乾炒牛河, soy sauce fried noodles and Singapore noodles. The café tops and tails them to leave only the white stem, called 銀芽. Every Australian supermarket sells a bag (250g, tagged bean shoot at Woolworths) and Asian grocers sell loose bags cheaper; soybean sprouts, with the big yellow head, are a different thing and wrong for fried noodles.
Cautions: read first
- Sprouts spoil quickly and can carry bacteria: refrigerate, use within a day or two, rinse well and eat them cooked.
Preparation
Rinse and drain; top and tail them for 銀芽.
Origin
Southern China. At every supermarket and Asian grocer; loose bags at Asian grocers are cheaper.
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
Australian name · bean sprouts / bean shoots (mung): Aussie Sprouts 250g; loose bags
Where · Every supermarket and Asian grocer; loose at Asian grocers is cheaper
What to ask for · The Woolworths tag says bean shoot; soybean sprouts are wrong for fried noodles
In season · Year round
Where · Every supermarket and Asian grocer; loose at Asian grocers is cheaper
What to ask for · The Woolworths tag says bean shoot; soybean sprouts are wrong for fried noodles
In season · Year round
