Here's The Crunch: Towkay's Open Secret Of Ipoh Bean Sprouts

Barnama

14-07-2025

IPOH, July 14 (Bernama) -- For those all too familiar with the delightful crunch of sweet Ipoh bean sprouts, this nutritious, little vegetable called 'taugeh' certainly holds a special place in the hearts of Malaysians.
There is no question about it, that Ipoh bean sprouts are indeed more famous compared to bean sprouts grown in other places or states because of the crunchy texture, slightly sweet taste, and plump shape that resembles a strangely, elongated punctuation mark … or is there?
Behind this uniqueness, there definitely must be a secret to why bean sprouts from Buntong have found their way into markets not only in Perak but also in neighbouring states like Selangor, where the ubiquitous taugeh is synonymous as a signature dish with chicken rice in restaurants.
So here's the crunch: An Ipoh bean sprout producer, a 'towkay' (or 'boss' in Chinese) who only wants to be known as Sam, divulged that the secret of delicious Ipoh bean sprouts lies in the source of water used in the production process.
"Here, the production uses underground mineral water that springs from the limestone hills around the factory here, this area (Buntong) which is located around the Kinta Valley exploits this natural advantage to be produce 'special' bean sprouts not found anywhere else," Sam, who is in his 40s, told Bernama.
The father of two said that Buntong, an area in the Kinta Valley rich in limestone landscape and formations, is a strategic location for several bean sprout entrepreneurs who pump mineral water directly from underground to run their bean sprout business.
He said the limestone water is said to be high in mineral content from the underground layered aquifers, contributing to the production of bean sprouts that are plump, fluffier, sweeter, of better quality, less pungent in smell, and rich in calcium.
Sam explained that to produce quality bean sprouts, he uses black matpe beans (also known as Black Gram) imported from Myanmar, measuring 3.25 millimetres.
'The process begins with soaking the beans for a certain period, followed by a filtering process to separate and remove the damaged beans. Only the best beans are selected, placed in large tubs, where they are soaked with water at the right temperature and lighting,' he said.