Some are surprised to learn that in Japanese cuisine, the consumption of beans is not common like in the West; the Japanese only use beans (azuki) to make desserts. Most say that beans are a necessary food due to their richness in iron and various other nutrients, and they believe that it should be part of every cuisine in the world, but not in Japan and a few other countries.
How can they replace the nutrients of traditional beans? Japanese cuisine is one of the healthiest and richest in nutrients, and one of the substitutes is the sprout itself. The famous moyashi or bean sprout is rich in fiber, Vitamins A, B, C, E, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, and several other nutrients, in addition to being present in most Japanese dishes and having few calories. Furthermore, bean sprouts aid in digestion and have antioxidant properties, meaning they combat free radicals responsible for aging.
Another advantage of moyashi is its crunchiness and its price, which is very cheap compared to any other vegetable. You can find a 200g package of moyashi for less than 30 yen (80 cents). It can also be consumed in a variety of dishes such as soups, salads, stir-fries, ramen, and others.
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Origin of Moyashi
The famous moyashi bean sprouts used in Japanese cuisine come from the mongo or mung bean, which has a long history of medicinal and dietary use throughout Asia. The grain of this bean is also used to make some recipes such as soups; it is quite small but very powerful.
Moyashi became popular during World War II due to the ease and speed of cultivation. It can be grown in low light, allowing for the sprouting technique on Japanese warships. It is believed that sprouting was introduced from China by Buddhist monks.
Germination is simple, requiring moisture, warmth, and little exposure to sunlight. The seeds are moistened and left at room temperature inside a transparent compartment. The compartment must allow excess water to escape; if the grains are submerged in water, they will die. They should also be rinsed a few times a day, and within 3 to 10 days, the sprouts will grow and can be used. They should be cooked for 15 minutes to kill the germs and consumed within 2 days.
How to prepare Moyashi
There are no secrets, moyashi can be used and prepared in various ways. The sprouts can be consumed raw, fried, or quickly boiled and sautéed. You can place it in a colander and pour boiling water over it. Then, you can fry it together with onion, meat, and other vegetables such as carrot. Season with shoyo, grated ginger, and other seasonings from Japanese cuisine.
A tip is not to leave the Moyashi in the water, because it gets soft, and the best thing about it is being crunchy. It can be used as an accompaniment to ramen, salads and meat dishes. If you want to eat cooked moyashi, boil it in water for just a minute so it doesn't lose its crunch.
