Soybean Sprout Namul with Leek & Red Bell Pepper
Tofu Carpaccio
Namul (a Korean seasoned vegetable dish) is usually served as banchan (a side dish accompanying the main course). In atypical fashion here, I serve kongnamul (soybean sprout namul) with a sliced tofu cutlet as the main course of a heart-healthy vegetarian lunch. We enjoyed a simple bowl of vegetable dumpling in broth on the side. Crunchy sprouts pair very well with mellow sautéed leek and bright red bell pepper plus a bit of spiciness from gochugaro (Korean chili powder). Toasted sesame oil adds a rich nutty component.
Soybean Sprout Namul with Leek & Red Bell Pepper Recipe
Rinse soybean sprouts, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
Add beansprouts to a pot of boiling water. Blanch, covered for 3 minutes, then drain immediately.
Meanwhile: Thinly slice one small leek and rinse well.
Slice a red bell pepper into strips. Mince 2 garlic cloves.
Sauté leek and bell pepper in canola oil until just wilted. Add garlic and cook for one minute, then add gochugaru (Korean chili powder) to taste. Remove from heat and add beansprouts. Toss to blend all the ingredients. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil, sea salt to taste.
Serve soybean sprout namul with a thinly sliced tofu cutlet (about 3-4 oz.), fanned out,
a drizzle of sesame oil and black sesame seeds to finish.
My Legume Love Affair Event
I’m excited to participate once again in My Legume Love Affair. March’s hostess is Dee @ Ammalu’s Kitchen. This long running legume-centric event created by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook is now in its 33rd month! Bean aficionados can join in the fun through March 31 here. Please note that this month’s event is vegetarian only.
Fun idea to call it ”Tofu Carpaccio’
I love anything with sesame flavors so this gets a check plus in my book.
Merci carolg
oh my goodness, what a beautiful set of pix. thanks and cheers!
Oh this sounds amazing! And your photos are just godgeous!
Tofu carpaccio is really brilliant and your presentation is some of the most beautiful stuff I have seen in a long time anywhere. GREG
Perfect for Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays!
The phrase “tofu cutlet” makes me smile. And it’s so prettily presented that die-hard carnivores must get weak at the knees. Whenever I entertain I have a vegetarian entre. And thanks to you – I have a new one.
OMG! look so beautiful and yum. What a great invention…
I was thinking the same thing as Claudia, “tofu cutlet”, so innovative!
What a fun and elegant carpaccio!
I see a bottle of Bek Se Ju in the background…mmmm – perfect pairing for this very pretty and tasty repast. A great opening shot, too, LL.
I’m not a huge fan of tofu, but Korean (and Japanese) recipes do tend to turn my head and appetite.
Your photos are always beautifully done and your recipes interesting and delicious so we’d like to pass on the One Lovely Blog Award to you! Thanks for the delicious food you share! http://picture-perfectmeals.blogspot.com/2011/03/wed-like-to-thank-academy.html
Your photos are stunning! And i really like the sound of all those flavors coming together in a single recipe.
What a tasty looking and healthy dish! Love the tofu carpaccio idea. And your presentation and photos are just gorgeous.
Your kongnamul looks really good. I like how you salted it first before cooking and added sauteed leek. Photos look great too.
This is beautiful!
A lovely lunch! soybean sprout namul is new to me, would love to try it! The tofu looks fantastic!
I love your vegetarian lunch! Beautiful and the carpaccio just looks amazing. Thank you for sharing knowledge of Korean cuisine. I love that I’m learning new things from your posts!
What a beautiful and ideal healthy lunch, looks delightful!
I am not very familiar with Asian dishes but it looks so beautiful.
Just last night I was looking at a recipe for tofu served with a mango sauce. I am not crazy about tofu, but between that and the dish you made, I may get motivated to try. I like the contrasting texture of the foods on the plate and, of course, the elegant presentation.
This looks so elegant! I will prepare it for my Korean friend who doesn’t like tofu. I bet this will change her mind 🙂