Spicy Bean Sprout Salad for Ramen

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As part of Project Ramen, I have been learning how to make the various topping for ramen, starting with this spicy bean sprout salad. These seasoned bean sprouts are spicy, crunchy and addictive. Best of all, it takes less than 15 minutes to make. I actually made the spicy version, because I am not a big fan of bean sprouts. So the spicy version is more attractive and palatable to me.

See Also:

• 20-Minute Japanese Ramen Recipe
• Ramen Toppings Grain Bowl Recipe (Upcoming)
• Soya Bean Sprout Kimchi Soup Recipe

The spicy bean sprout salad is usually served as a free side dish for ramen. I used it as a ramen topping, with a free unlimited refill jar right beside my ramen bowl :D

Even though this is for ramen, it is also great as a topping for rice bowl (upcoming recipe). Since I prepared the bean sprout salad as part of meal prep, I was able to whip up the bowl above in 5 minutes when I come home from work.

The following are the 3 Japanese spicy condiments used in this salad.

From Left to Right:

• 7-spice chilli powder aka nanami togarashi (七色唐辛子). I like this condiment a lot and like to scatter this over my rice & noodles.
• Japanese chilli oil aka rayu (ラー油 or 辣油). It’s less spicy & choking than the Chinese version, but the latter can be used as a substitution too.
• Japanese spicy bean paste (la doubanjiang/辣豆瓣酱). Since I already have this in my pantry for making Japanese mapo tofu, I tried adding a small bit to the bean sprouts salad and it was so good! This chilli bean paste adds a savoury & spiced depth to the sprouts. It also gives a nice reddish hue to the seasoned bean sprouts.

STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS

First, boil the sprouts in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain the bean sprouts in a colander under running water to cool them down.

This step is optional: I spin dry the cooked bean sprouts in a salad spinner (pictured above) to get rid of the excess liquid. I find that it helps the sprouts to absorb the seasonings better.

Place the prepared bean sprouts in a large bowl and scatter the seasonings over.  The seasonings comprise of sesame oil, soy sauce, white pepper powder, garlic salt and the 3 spicy Japanese condiments above.

Up close: The reddish hue of the la doubanjiang (chilli bean paste) helps to ensure that the sauce is evenly distributed over the entire salad during mixing time.

Mix everything well until the colour is evenly distributed. Season to taste.

This is the bean sprout salad in my fridge alongside ramen eggs and black fungus. The sprouts keep well for 2-3 days, making them ideal for ramen meal prep.