Dua Gia (Pickled Bean Sprout Salad)

By Andrea Nguyen

Published Feb. 3, 2021

Dua Gia (Pickled Bean Sprout Salad)
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus brining
Rating
4(143)
Comments
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Delicately crunchy and bright tasting, this easy southern Vietnamese favorite is technically a pickle because the vegetables steep in brine. But it is eaten in large amounts like a salad, usually with intensely flavored fish or pork kho (dishes simmered in savory caramel sauce). The vegetables provide a refreshing contrast to the inky, deep flavors of kho but they’re also terrific paired with dumplings or sandwiches. The bean sprouts and carrot are typically combined with flat Chinese chives. Since those kinds of chives can be hard to find, you can also use thin green scallion tops.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ⅔cup granulated sugar
  • 1½teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1pound bean sprouts
  • 1carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 5small or 4 medium scallions, green parts only, cut into 1½-inch lengths (see Note)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

186 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 39 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 559 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make the brine, combine the sugar, salt, vinegar and 1 cup water in a large saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and completely cool.

  2. Step 2

    At least 40 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving, add the bean sprouts, carrot and scallions to the brine. Use your fingers to toss the vegetables. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables 2 or 3 times to expose them evenly to the brine. At first, the vegetables won’t be covered by the brine, but then they will shrink. They’re ready when they’re almost covered with brine and taste pleasantly tangy and are a mix of crunchy and soft. If needed, let them sit for 10 minutes longer.

  3. Step 3

    Drain the vegetables and pile them high on a plate. Serve at room temperature within 2 hours to enjoy them at their peak.

Tip
  • Select small scallions, ideally the width of a chopstick, or medium scallions. Larger ones can be too harsh. If you can find Chinese chives, substitute a bunch, nickel-sized in diameter, for the scallions.

Ratings

4 out of 5
143 user ratings
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Comments

Prakash Nadkarni

Nice and quick. The pickled vegetables are included in banh mi sandwiches: you can also add brassicas (daikon, turnip, parsnips, broccoli) to the mix. Like carrot, but unlike sprouts, these have the benefit of not turning to mush with extended refrigeration. A pinch of food-grade calcium chloride (added to dill pickles) maintains crunch. After the veg get used up, reuse the old brine for a new batch, refreshed with sugar, salt and vinegar; it gets more complex and flavorful over time.

JessicaC

This had a great flavor and was super simple. We added daikon, thinly sliced Serranos, and cilantro.

Louise Cort

It's easy to grow flat Chinese chives (niira, in Japanese) in a flower box or bed. They come back annually with vigor!

CotaV

I added raw beets. Really good.

Jim

Excellent, simple, healthy, unusual and I serve it with all manner of main courses - love this recipe.

H McCreery

Excellent and easy! Don't be dissuaded by a full pound of mung bean sprouts as they shrink and turn into a reasonable volume. Leftovers are great on sandwiches beyond the bahn mi.

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