Moyashi bean sprouts

An inexpensive vegetable that is available throughout year. Moyashi literally means the sprouts of grains, beans and vegetables, but it usually refers to mung bean or black gram sprouts. Another common type is soy bean sprouts, usually called daizu moyashi or mame moyashi.

(Mung bean) moyashi

Daizu moyashi

Just like with other sprouts, moyashi is rich in nutrition. In addition to nutrients from seed beans, it has lots of Vitamin C. It also contains amylase and invertase -- digestive enzymes that help the stomach and intestines. Digestion of beans sometimes can be problematic, but bean sprouts have cleared the hurdle.

Moyashi can be eaten raw, but since the sprouts quickly spoil, it is safer to cook as precaution if you don't live in a country where moyashi is part of the routine diet. Daizu moyashi keeps longer and is firmer (especially the beans), and it is always cooked as far as I know. With both types, it's best to remove the skinny roots for better texture. Discolored beans and soft parts should be removed as well.

When buying, select moyashi or daizu moyashi that is firm and whitsh/opaque without discolored ends. In the Pacific Northwest where we live, moyashi is more widely available. Daizu moyashi is found at Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese grocery stores and at other large Asian supermarkets.

Compared to other vegetables, moyashi tends to spoil quickly. To keep it crisp longer, remove skinny root ends and damaged parts (discolored or translucent soft parts), rinse well, and keep in water in a container in the fridge. Change the water at least every other day. This way, moyashi stays crunchy for 5-6 days and is ready to use right out of the fridge. This method works for both daizu moyashi and mung bean moyashi. But keep in mind that nutritional value is said to decline the longer moyashi soaks in water.

Moyashi (mung beans): 14 kcal/100 g; 95.4% water, 1.7% protein, 0.1% fat, 2.6% carbohydrate, 0.2% ash

Moyashi (black gram): 15 kcal/100 g; 95.0% water, 2.0% protein, trace fat, 2.7% carbohydrate, 0.3% ash

Daizu moyashi: 37 kcal/100 g; 92.0% water, 3.7% protein, 1.5% fat, 2.3% carbohydrate, 0.5% ash

Recipes with moyashi

• Suigyoza no chige-fu nabe / jjigae-style hotpot with shui jiao dumplings
  
• Horenso, moyashi, sumookusaamon no ohitashi / spinach, mung bean sprouts and smoked salmon marinated in light broth
  
• Moyashi to satsumaage no itamemono / stir-fried bean sprouts and deep-fried fishcake 
• Shiifuudo to daizu moyashi no kankoku mushi / haemul jjim / steamed seafood and soybean sprouts Korean style 
• Moyashi to ninjin no mentaiko-itame / stir-fried bean sprouts and carrot with spicy salted pollock roe
• Atsuage, moyashi, saishin no nibitashi / deep-fried tofu, mung bean sprouts and yu choy sum simmered in light broth 
• Moyashi to mitsuba no ohitashi / bean sprouts and mitsuba in light broth
• Daizu moyashi yakisoba / fried noodles with soybean sprouts
• Daizu moyashi no bataa shoga itame / soybean sprouts stir-fried in butter, flavored with ginger and soy sauce
  
• Daizu moyashi no misoshiru / miso soup with soybean sprouts
• Moyashi to kamaboko, burokkorii no kuki nibitashi / bean sprouts, fishcake and broccoli stems simmered in light broth
  
• Shungiku, moyashi, shiozake no ohitashi / garland chrysanthemum, bean sprouts and grilled salted fish marinated in light broth
• Yasai yakisoba, shoyu-aji / fried noodles with vegetables, soy sauce flavor
• Yasai to kinoko no nabeyaki bibimba / vegetable and mushroom bibmpap in clay pot
• Moyashi to age no sattoni / bean sprouts with thin deep-fried tofu in broth
• Moyashi to horenso no pirikara gomazu-ae / bean sprouts and spinach in spicy tahini dressing with rice vinegar
• Ebi to moyashi no nanpuraa itame / prawn and soybean sprout saute with nam pla
• Daizu moyashi no namuru / soybean sprout namul salad
• Biifun / Taiwanese fried rice noodles
• Phad thai

Try moyashi in the following recipes

• Yakinasu, atsuage to ebi no raisunuudoru sarada / rice noodles with grilled eggplant, deep-fried tofu and shrimp salad
• Miso yasai raamen / vegetable ramen noodles with miso-flavored soup
• Tosho chaamen / dao xiao chao mian / fried hand-shaven noodles
• Tonyu miso nikomi udon / hot-pot udon wheat noodles in red miso and soy milk broth 
• Kaisen chukadon / Chinese-style seafood saute over steamed rice

(Last updated: June 27, 2018)