SPROUTS

There was a time which in the past I remember bean sprouts being a component of one of my oriental favourites - Eggs Foo Yung. See here. I can always get fresh mung bean sprouts and do when I prepare the Foo Yung.  The fresh are clean, crisp and fresh tasting whereas the canned have a – well, canned taste, are slightly less crunchy and include the customary added salt.

 I remember this chi-chi café which has these specialty coffees and light lunchtime salads and sandwiches, as well as pastries. It is before Starbucks is invented. One time we’re there and I get a turkey sandwich on “artisan bread” (I told you it was chi-chi). This sandwich has the eponymous turkey, a light, flavoured mayonnaise and so forth. But what makes this sandwich special is the crisp, crunchy texture along with a captivating hint of nuttiness derived from the fresh alfalfa bean sprouts contained therein.

Sprouts are alive, literally; and delicious on salads or can be steamed, sautéed (chi- chi term for “fried”) or used in stir-fried dishes.

If this isn’t enough good news, I find that fresh bean sprouts are low-calorie, full of vitamins and phytonutrients, and contain useful enzymes. Enzymes are very important because a lack of them is implicated in many diseases, including the big ones like cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis etc. Along with the enzymes, there are the proteins, good (complex) carbhohydrates, essential fatty acids plus fibre. Basically, sprouts contain all the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables and for all this they are quite inexpensive.

Sprouts are very versatile. Here are just a few uses for these tender bean shoots.

• Chop and mix with soft cheese for dips
• Chop finely and use with sandwich spreads
• Put into grilled cheese sandwiches
• Put into soups and stews just before serving
• Use in omelets
• Mix into rice dishes

Since sprouts are so healthy, regular consumption of them is a swell idea. Here is a recipe to get you started

Fried Rice with Sprouts                               serves 4

2 tablespoons canola oil or light olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 minced cloves of garlic, or to taste

1 stalk of celery, diced

1 cup of diced or sliced mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts

1 scrambled egg, chopped

2 cups of day-old cooked rice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Method:

• Heat large skillet, add vegetable oil
• Toss in onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms
• Fry while stirring for 3-5 minutes
• Stir in the sprouts, chopped scrambled egg and the prepared rice
• Add the soy sauce
• Cook till rice is hot

Day-old rice is best for fried rice recipes because it doesn’t stick to the skillet.

Get familiar with sprouts; they are a wonderful addition to your diet.

FOO YUNG FOR YOU

A few months ago, the tipster and I go to see our granddaughter perform in a choral concert. But before it begins, her parents and we drive to a nearby Chinese restaurant for supper. Everything changes through the years; Kung Pao and Szechwan are now popular, but when I saw Eggs Foo Yung on the menu, it brought back some wonderful memories. They were delightful.
I remember that old fifties rock ‘n roll song with the lyric: “I went to Chinatown, to get some Eggs Foo Yung” when I was still in high school. I forget the song’s title (maybe it was “Ling ting tong”), but one of the first oriental foods I ever made was this one. There are many ways to prepare it; I always like the individual omelets in gravy that was so popular in Chinese restaurants years ago. Many versions today are like scrambled eggs with filling.
I went and made some the other day and still love it. Eggs Foo Yung is easy to make, delicious, economical, and great for a quick supper or lunch or part of a more substantial dinner.
Here is a basic Eggs Foo Yung that serves two or more, depending on side dishes, I like steamed rice with it and perhaps a simple soup.

· 6 eggs, beaten
· 1 cup of filling (your choice of cooked shrimp, roast beef, cooked chicken, cooked pork etc)
· 2 cups of bean sprouts; if using canned, drain thoroughly
· 4 green onions, sliced thinly
· 1 onion, quartered and sliced thinly
· ½ teaspoon of sugar
· A pinch of ground black pepper
· 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
· ½ cup stock or water
· Gravy- recipe follows
· Vegetable oil

Prepare the gravy and turn the oven on slow, 250F (120C).
Put a platter in the oven to warm.
Mix everything except the gravy and oil in a large bowl.
Heat a large skillet. When it is hot, add oil to come up the sides about a half-inch (1.5 cm). Keep temperature medium hot.

Stir the omelet mixture. Take a scoopful quarter-cup size amount of the egg mixture and carefully pour into the skillet. When it begins to firm up, push to edge and stir mixture and add another scoop. Flip gently when brown. Your omelets can be about the same diameter as a yo-yo, or whatever size you may prefer.
As the omelets are browned on each side, put them on paper towels to drain, put in the oven platter to keep warm till all are done.

Serve with the gravy:

· 11/2 cups of stock
· 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
· 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
· Pinch of salt and pepper

Mix everything, put in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until thickened. Shut off flame.

Serve the omelets with the gravy and enjoy it.

Let the oil in the skillet cool down, and then strain into a glass container for future use.