Jan Bilton: Small sprouts pack big nutrient punch (+recipe)

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Those little feathery sprouts usually sold in packets at your supermarket are highly nutritious. Germinated from many varieties of seeds, peas, grains and beans, they are recognised for their B vitamins, especially thiamine, plus they provide a range of minerals including copper, and zinc. Those with high water content have a lower concentration of nutrients. All are low in calories.

Bean sprouts have been enjoyed in New Zealand since the gold rush days when Chinese immigrants introduced Kiwis to a very different cuisine. Sprouts were added to Chinese omelettes - egg foo yung - as well as stir-fries. They regained popularity in the late 60s when the hippie movement in the US encouraged the opening of health food stores and a diet of grains and seeds. Most of the dishes were cardboard-like and rather boring.

Bean and seed sprouts are anything but boring. Purple sango, or radish sprouts, are a favourite of mine. They have a distinctive hot peppery flavour and add interest to sandwiches and wraps. Because of their eye-appeal, I like to use them as a chef would use microgreens. Sangos are also sold mixed with other sprouts such as alfalfa and adzuki that are great in hamburger mixtures, salads, egg dishes and in peanut butter and apricot jam sarnies.

I'm very disappointed in the quality of most of the mung bean sprouts available. They are too large and often bitter, and their stringy tails brown. Preferably the tails need to be pinched off before using. I prefer to sprout my own mung beans, available from natural and bulk foods stores where you can also purchase dishes to DIY. They can also be sprouted in a jar.

1. Wash half a cup of dried mung beans under cold water. Place in a large (four-cup) preserving jar. Cover with cold water and leave them to soak overnight at room temperature.

2. Next day, drain beans and wash under cold water, until water is clear. Return to the jar and cover with more water. Place a single layer of cheesecloth over the top and secure with a rubber band. Rinse the beans and change the water twice a day.

3. After about three days the beans should have sprouted. Rinse, drain and refrigerate. If not using immediately, store in cold water in the fridge. Change the water daily.

SANGO & CHICKEN RICE PAPER ROLLS

No need for chilli or wasabi as an accompaniment with these peppery sango-filled rolls - just serve a little soy sauce and lemon juice combined as a dip. You can prepare all the ingredients ahead and wrap just before serving.

1/2 large red capsicum
1 small avocado
1 tbsp lemon juice
125g skinned and boned smoked chicken
1 cup loosely packed sango sprouts
16 large mint leaves
2 sweet mini cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
8 x 16cm round rice paper wrappers

Dipping Sauce:

3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice\

Seed and slice capsicum into thin strips.

Peel, halve and stone avocado. Cut into thin batons. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Cut chicken into batons.

Soak a rice paper wrapper in a bowl of warm water, until softened.

Place on a board. Place 2-3 strips of capsicum on edge of wrapper closest to you. Top with a few sango sprouts, avocado batons, chicken, mint leaves and cucumber.

Fold in sides and roll up to enclose filling. Place on a platter and cover with a damp paper towel.

Repeat until all rolls are prepared.

Combine ingredients for dipping sauce and serve with rolls. Serve as a starter.

- Makes 8.

KOREAN PANCAKES

My take on a Korean favourite. Pinch off and discard any brown mung bean ends.

1 cup trimmed mung bean sprouts
1 medium carrot, julienned
2 large spring onions
1 x 8cm chilli, seeds in
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp self-raising flour
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3-4 tbsp rice bran oil

Wash bean sprouts under cold water and drain well.

Julienne the carrot to make about 1 cup. Halve spring onions lengthwise, then cut into 5cm lengths. Cut chilli into 5mm rounds.

Whisk water, eggs, sesame oil and flour together in a large bowl, until smooth. Add vegetables, chilli and garlic. Mix well.

Heat half the rice bran oil in a 16cm non-stick frying pan. Add half the vege mixture and pat down evenly.

Loosely cover and cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the underside is golden. Flip pancake.

Continue cooking until veges are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Place on a warm plate and keep warm while preparing the second pancake.

Great served drizzled with a sauce prepared from 3 tbsp of soy sauce and 2 tsp of rice vinegar.

- Serves 2 as a light meal.

CRUNCHY SPROUT SALAD

1 & 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts, trimmed
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 Granny Smith apple
1 large shallot, diced

Dressing:

1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated root ginger

Wash sprouts well and place in a bowl. Halve, core and finely dice apple and combine with sprouts.

Rinse the shallot in icy water, drain and add to the sprouts.

Whisk all ingredients for dressing until well combined. Pour over salad and toss.

Stand salad for an hour to allow flavours to develop.

Excellent as a side dish with most main courses.

- Serves 4.

SNOW PEA SLIDERS

Trim off the white ends of the snow pea shoots so they are 4cm long. Slider buns are half the size of hamburger buns and can be eaten with one hand rather than two.

400g lean minced beef
1 cup trimmed snow peas shoots
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp finely grated root ginger
1 small egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
8 slider buns or 4 small hamburger buns
6-8 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 cup sango or alfalfa sprouts

Combine beef with snow pea shoots, garlic, root ginger and egg.

Form into 4-8 patties about the diameter of buns.

Season the outsides with black pepper.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.

Pan-fry patties for about 4 minutes each side or until cooked to your preference.

Halve and lightly toast the buns. Spread with mayo.

Top with beef patties and sprouts.

Cover with bun tops.

- Serves 4.