Korean Beansprout Rice

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

I’m not one for side dishes for a weekday meal. I just don’t want to take the time.

I’d as soon make some rice in the rice cooker and serve a simple green salad, while I concentrate on the main dish.

Recently, I made an exception for Korean Bean Sprout Rice. I saw the recipe years ago in a Sunset cookbook and I remember the first time I made it was at a beach apartment on the North Shore when we were living in Honolulu. Steve and I had our friend’s place for the weekend—a nice getaway since I was pregnant with my first child. The rice accompanied some kalbi we were grilling on a hibachi in the sand.

So I have good feelings about Korean Bean Sprout Rice. And recently, I happened to have some extra bean sprouts after making pho for dinner the night before.

I couldn’t find that old cookbook so I tried to make the dish from memory. It went well with the Korean Meat Patties I was cooking that night.

Korean Bean Sprout Rice
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 cups bean sprouts
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
4 cups hot cooked rice
Sliced green onion for garnish (optional)

In a large wok or skillet, heat oils over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and stir quickly a few times just until pan smells fragrant. Add bean sprouts and stir-fry about 1 minute, until bean sprouts are slightly wilted but still crunchy; season with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Remove bean sprouts from wok with slotted spoon and set aside.

Reheat wok over medium heat and add cooked rice, sprinkle with soy sauce and continue to stir until rice is evenly colored with the soy sauce. Return bean sprouts and toss; add sesame seeds and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more soy sauce if desired. Remove to serving bowl and sprinkle with green onion, if using.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Cooking Tips: To toast, place sesame seeds in frypan over medium heat. Stir and cook until light golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.

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