Crisp and Refreshing Bean Sprout Salad
How to Make Bean Sprout Salad with Zesty Mustard Dressing
On hot, sweltering days, nothing beats a cool, refreshing dish! Today, I’m sharing my recipe for Bean Sprout Salad. While it’s delightful to eat cool, the cook has to stand by the stove – a sacrifice no one notices!
After pondering dinner options until late into the night, I decided on this vibrant Bean Sprout Salad with a homemade mustard dressing. The delightful crunch of bean sprouts, combined with a colorful array of vegetables and tender crab sticks, makes for a truly satisfying meal. Beat the heat tonight with this cool and invigorating salad!
Main Ingredients
- 1 bag bean sprouts (approx. 300g)
- 1/2 cucumber
- 5 imitation crab sticks (kani or surimi)
- A little yellow bell pepper
- A little red bell pepper
- 1 bag enoki mushrooms (approx. 100g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the bean sprouts thoroughly. Bring a generous amount of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, add the washed bean sprouts and blanch them. To eliminate any unpleasant fishy smell, it’s best to cook them with the lid open. If you choose to use a lid, be consistent: either keep it closed throughout the cooking process or leave it open entirely to prevent the smell. Blanch for about 3-5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool them down and remove excess water.
Step 2
Trim the root ends of the enoki mushrooms and rinse them lightly under running water. Adding them raw might result in a less pleasant texture, so briefly blanching them with hot water will make them more tender and enjoyable. You can do this by pouring hot water over them while they are in a sieve or a specialized frying basket.
Step 3
Prepare the vegetables and other ingredients for the salad. For the cucumber, discard the seedy inner part and julienne the flesh and skin into thin strips. Julienne the yellow and red bell peppers similarly, after removing the seeds, to add a vibrant splash of color. Shred the imitation crab sticks lengthwise. Gently squeeze out any excess water from the blanched enoki mushrooms.
Step 4
In a large mixing bowl, combine the blanched bean sprouts, julienned cucumber and bell peppers, shredded crab sticks, and the squeezed enoki mushrooms.
Step 5
Now, it’s time to make the delicious mustard dressing! It’s helpful to measure out all the dressing ingredients beforehand. However, it’s not always easy to get the seasoning perfect on the first try. It’s better to add ingredients gradually and adjust the taste as you go. When I initially measured based on the picture, I found the dressing amount seemed a bit insufficient for the volume of ingredients.
Step 6
My approximate dressing ratio was: 0.7 Tbsp mustard, 2 Tbsp sesame oil, 3 Tbsp vinegar, 0.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp sugar, and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir thoroughly with a spoon to ensure the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. The most crucial step is to taste! Adjust the zesty kick of the mustard, the tanginess of the vinegar, and the sweetness to your personal preference. If it’s too bland, add a bit more soy sauce or salt; if you prefer it sweeter, add sugar; and for more tang, add more vinegar.
Step 7
Pour the prepared mustard dressing over the bean sprouts and vegetables in the bowl. Gently toss everything together to ensure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bean sprouts mushy. For an extra refreshing taste, chill the salad in the refrigerator for a short while before serving. Enjoy your delicious Bean Sprout Salad!
