I always need at least one spicy side dish when eating dinner. It’s usually kimchi. It doesn’t matter what type as long as it has a spicy kick. I’ve been making oi sobagi almost on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, we finished the oi sobagi within 3 days of it fermenting. But fortunately, the oi sobagi was so good we couldn’t stop eating it. In either case, we were flat out of kimchi.
So I needed something quick, spicy, and tasty. I decided to try something different and make maewoon sukju namul, which translates directly to “spicy seasoned mung bean sprouts.” It’s not the most traditionally Korean way of eating the sprouts, but seemed the perfect solution to my problem. The dish was so easy and quick to prepare. And it had that spicy kick that I wanted.
I think I actually favor this spicy version to the traditional one. I don’t know. Ask me again when I have kimchi. But I know my husband definitely does. It was sooo~ delicious.
Spicy Mung Bean Salad – Maewoon Sukju Namul Recipe
Serves 4 people as a side dish
Ingredients
12 oz. mung bean sprouts
1 1/2 TB gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp agave nectar or sugar
1 green onion, chopped into thin rings
2 tsp crushed toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
- Wash mung bean sprouts in cold water. Discard discolored/spoiled sprouts, and hulls that float to top.
- Bring 4-5 cups of water to boil. Parboil mung bean sprouts. About 2-3 minutes should do it.
- Shock the mung bean sprouts in cold water. Place mung bean sprouts in a colander/strainer and drain.
- In a small bowl, stir together Korean red chili pepper paste, salt, rice vinegar, agave nectar, and sesame oil. In a larger bowl, add the drained mung bean sprouts and the chili pepper paste mixture. Mix together with chopsticks or tongs. Stir in crushed toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Mix gently. Place in the refrigerator. Allow the mung bean sprouts to marinate and chill for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired when serving.
Came across your blog while surfing through Foodie Blogroll. You have a fantastic blog! I love your food photographs! They’re really beautiful. 🙂
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Hi Kavi. Thank you for your kind words. I had a chance to visit your lovely blog, and I will be trying some of your dessert recipes soon!
I’ve never tried the spicy version, since I couldn’t find the right seasonings in my neighbourghood, but I make the original version often & use it in bibimbap. Now I’ve finally found all the right ingredients… so I’ll try this soon 🙂
I’m glad you were able to find the ingredients. I know it can be a little difficult to get in certain areas. But if you like Korean cuisine, it’s definitely worth it. Hope you enjoy it!
came across your beautiful blog while i was browsing zen can cook. i love this quick spicy bean sprout salad recipe…like you I just can’t enjoy my dinner without at least one spicy dish so I also make some spicy sichuan pickles..sort of like the Chinese version of kimchi. can’t wait to explore the rest of your site!
Hi Yi, thanks for visiting my site! A spicy and refreshing side dish really does round out a meal. I should try out the spicy sichuan pickles. Sounds delicious!
We LOVED this! I will be making it often! I added some thinly sliced hothouse cucumbers and adjusted the seasonings accordingly. 🙂
Oh…I forgot to tell you my hubby says this tastes very authentic! 🙂
Thanks you Heather (and your husband)! I get most of my basics of Korean cooking from my very traditional grandmother. You and your family must love spicy foods as much as I do! 🙂
i have a bag of bean sprouts that need to have something done to it before it goes bad, only, i go on vacation in 2 days. i don’t think i can consume it all in such a short amt of time. how long would this last in the fridge?
Hey Lan~ Mung bean sprouts don’t last too long. They go bad pretty quickly. If you cook them, they last longer than they otherwise would. But if you are going on vacation, it will not keep in the fridge. You don’t want to risk getting sick! Normal bag of sprouts aren’t that big. If you are cooking for two people, you should be able to finish it in bibimbap over 2 meals (or most of it).
You can put them in Korean pancakes and freeze the pancakes that you will not be consuming right away. Then, they will last in the freezer for weeks without the taste being affected. Short of doing that, you should try and finish as much as you can before going on your vacation. Hope this helps!
thanks so much for the info. we might have to smell up the office tomorrow etc with leftovers. (not that i think it stinks, it’s a strong smell that my colleagues might raise their eyebrows over…)
You’re more than welcome Lan. It’s shouldn’t smell that bad or strong, as long as nothing fermented is in it. Your colleagues can suck it up for a day or two. 😛 Hope you have fun on your vacation!