Sides and Salads Recipes - Soy Beansport Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb/2 cups fresh soy bean sprouts

• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced

• 1 small bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks removed

For the dressing:

• 30ml/2 tbsp fish sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp white rice vinegar

• 10ml/2 tsp palm sugar (jaggery) or soft dark brown sugar

• 15ml/1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 red chili, seeded and finely sliced

• 15g/1/2oz fresh young root ginger, finely shredded

Serves 4

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Method:

1. First make the dressing. In a bowl, beat the oil, and rice vinegar with the sugar, until it dissolves.

2. Stir in the chili and ginger and leave to stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the bean sprouts and blanch for 1 minute only.

4. Tip into a colander, drain, then refresh under running cold water until cool. Drain again and put them into a clean dishtowel. Shake out the excess water.

5. Put the bean sprouts into a bowl and add the spring onions. Pour over the dressing and toss well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

High in protein and fat, soy bean sprouts are nutritious as well as being good to eat, favored in Cambodia. Unlike mung bean sprouts, they are slightly poisonous when raw and need to be parboiled before use, though this only takes a minute. This salad is often eaten with noodles and rice.

Variation: Any other edible sprouted bean or pea con be used instead of the bean sprouts.

Cook's Tip: Despite the name, glutinous rice does not, in fact, contain any gluten - it's just sticky.