Beansprouts and peanuts with ginger and chilli

Apparently British family doctors have what they refer to as 'heartsink patients' - the ones who make your heart sink when they walk through the door. Well, I have heartsink ingredients, the kind of thing that sits in your fridge and inspires you with a mixture of gloom, guilt and boredom in equal measure. For me, one of the great things about writing this blog is that it has given me a fresh approach to some of these ingredients, and now instead of my heart sinking I tend to see them as a challenge to my culinary imagination. I think this crunchy, spicy take on beansprouts is quite effective.



Ingredients
vegetable oil
250 g beansprouts
a generous handful of peanuts
1 teaspoon of chilli paste
1 teaspoon of fresh ginger
a good dash of fish sauce
a drizzle of sesame oil

Method
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add the chilli paste and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds or so. Throw in the peanuts and stir fry for a few more seconds, then add the beansprouts and stir fry for a little longer. (Just long enough to heat the beansprouts - you don't want to cook them too much or they will lose their crunch.) Transfer to a serving bowl and dress with the fish sauce and sesame oil.