Crispy Bean Sprout Fried Rice
Easy Bean Sprout Fried Rice Recipe Using Leftover Bean Sprouts
Have a bit of bean sprouts left in your fridge? Don’t throw them away! Here’s a recipe for delicious bean sprout fried rice that you can make with basic pantry ingredients. This recipe highlights the wonderfully crisp texture of the bean sprouts for an extra flavorful experience. It’s a satisfying meal that’s perfect for a quick and hearty dish!
Fried Rice Ingredients- 2 bowls cooked rice (warm)
- 90g ground beef
- 100g bean sprouts
- 20g carrot
- 40g green onion
- 1/2 Tbsp coarse salt (for blanching bean sprouts)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 egg (optional)
Beef Marinade- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (or syrup)
- 1 Tbsp mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp oligodang (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (or syrup)
- 1 Tbsp mirin (or cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp oligodang (or corn syrup)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a bowl, combine the ground beef (90g) with the marinade ingredients: 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp plum extract, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1 Tbsp oligodang. Mix well by hand and let it marinate for about 10 minutes. This step helps tenderize the meat and remove any gamey odors.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the bean sprouts. Fill a pot with a generous amount of water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add 1/2 Tbsp of coarse salt and carefully add the washed bean sprouts. Blanch them for exactly 1 minute. Be careful not to overcook the bean sprouts, as they can become mushy if boiled for too long.
Step 3
Immediately after blanching, rinse the bean sprouts under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool them down. This is crucial for maintaining their crisp texture. Drain them thoroughly in a colander to remove excess water.
Step 4
Prepare the additional vegetables. Finely chop the green onion to about 40g. Thinly julienne the carrot to about 20g. (I used pre-prepped frozen vegetables, but fresh ones work perfectly fine too.)
Step 5
Let’s start stir-frying! Heat a pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add the chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant, releasing their aroma (this is called making ‘green onion oil’). Once the green onions are fragrant, add the marinated ground beef. Break up any clumps and stir-fry until the beef is mostly cooked through.
Step 6
When the beef has changed color and is almost cooked, add the julienned carrots to the pan. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the carrots are slightly tender but still retain a bit of crunch. Avoid overcooking them.
Step 7
Now it’s time to add the core flavor for the fried rice. Add 1 Tbsp of gochujang and stir-fry to coat the beef and vegetables. Cook over medium-low heat to prevent the gochujang from burning. Once you hear a gentle sizzling sound, add the warm cooked rice (2 bowls). Break up any clumps of rice and stir-fry until the gochujang sauce evenly coats every grain of rice.
Step 8
Once the rice is well combined with the sauce, add the blanched and drained bean sprouts. Stir gently just to mix them in with the rice and sauce. Avoid over-stirring at this stage, as the goal is to keep the bean sprouts wonderfully crisp.
Step 9
Turn off the heat. Drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds over the fried rice. Adding these at the end preserves their aromatic qualities.
Step 10
For an optional but highly recommended touch, fry an egg sunny-side up and place it on top of the fried rice. Breaking the yolk and mixing it into the rice creates an even richer flavor experience.
Step 11
And there you have it! A delicious and satisfying bean sprout fried rice with a delightful crisp texture. Enjoy this simple yet hearty meal!
