Bean Sprouts (Kongnamul & Sukju)
์ฝฉ๋๋ฌผ ยท ์์ฃผkong-na-mul ยท suk-ju
Soybean and mung bean sprouts for soups and namul
Two kinds of sprouts are everyday staples in Korea: kongnamul (soybean sprouts), with big yellow heads, and sukju (mung bean sprouts), with small green-capped heads. They look similar but cook differently.
- Korean name
- ์ฝฉ๋๋ฌผ ยท ์์ฃผ (kong-na-mul ยท suk-ju)
- What it is
- Soybean and mung bean sprouts for soups and namul
- Storage
- Sprouts spoil quickly.
- Substitute
- Use one for the other in a pinch, adjusting the cooking time: soybean sprouts need several minutes, mung bean sprouts under one.
- Recipes
- Used in 43 recipes on coo K food
Kongnamul (soybean sprouts)
Soybean sprouts are nutty and firm and must be cooked through. They make kongnamul-guk (a clear soup famous as a hangover cure), kongnamul-muchim (seasoned sprouts), kongnamul-bap (rice cooked with sprouts and served with seasoned soy sauce) and the crunchy base of braised monkfish (agu-jjim).
Korean cooks have a rule: when boiling them, keep the lid either on the whole time or off the whole time. Lifting it partway through is said to leave a raw, beany smell.
Sukju (mung bean sprouts)
Mung bean sprouts are more delicate and juicy and need only a quick blanch. They are used in sukju-namul, dumpling fillings, bibimbap and noodle soups.
๐ง How to store it
Sprouts spoil quickly. Keep them in a sealed bag in the fridge for two to three days, or submerged in water in a container, changing the water daily.
๐ Substitutes
Use one for the other in a pinch, adjusting the cooking time: soybean sprouts need several minutes, mung bean sprouts under one.
๐ Where to buy
This is a fresh ingredient, so it is best bought in person at a Korean or pan-Asian grocery store such as H Mart, or through an online Asian grocer that delivers fresh produce in your area. Look for it under its Korean name, ์ฝฉ๋๋ฌผ ยท ์์ฃผ (kongnamul ยท sukju).
