How to make sprouts

Making sprouts at home is easy, but a little tricky in colder places. Sprouts are highly nutritious and considered a superfood. Sprouts are generally consumed raw, but I prefer to cook them. For making sprouts, you don’t need any special equipment. We can make sprouts with our kitchen cloth, paper towel, jars, or strainer. You can sprout grains, beans, and seeds.

I loved the way that sprouts came out in Thermos. Try in thermos you will be astonished by the way it comes out. But make sure it is not sticky together. I have used three types of bean/lentil here.

• Mung bean also called green gram, sprouts easily. If you are newly trying to sprout using these beans or any lentils.
• Horse gram It is a miracle superfood consumed in southern parts of India. You can find this in Indian grocery or some Asian stores carry it.
• Chickpeas/garbanzo beans This bean takes a longer time to sprout.

Food for the thought

“If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.”

-Oprah Winfrey

Benefits of the ingredients (source)

Sprouts: Great source of Vitamin K. This vitamin is critical to healthy bone growth, proper blood clotting, and many other bodily functions. 

Video for How to make sprouts

How to make sprouts at home?

The simple steps to make sprouts at home are

Soak Rinse the bean and soak it for 10-12 hours or overnight. I soaked for 12 hours. Soaking time depends on the bean you use. For harder beans like garbanzo, red kidney beans you need to soak for 24 hours. If soaking for 24 hours rinse the beans for every 12 hours and change the water.
Rinse and drain well Onc soaked rinse well 3-4 times until you see clear water. Use a strainer and drain the water completely.
Allow germinating using any method listed below
Store AFter germination, store in small packs under refrigeration. When you are going to use rinse well and cook it. Use it within 2-3 days.

Method 1 : Making sprouts in cotton cloth

Once it is soaked and drained well. Place the beans in a damp cloth. Any clean cloth will work fine. Fold all the sides, and invert it. Keep it in a warm dark place and allow it to germinate. Sprinkle or spray water evenly and make sure that the cheesecloth remains damp during the entire sprouting process. It has to be sprayed not poured. After 12-24 hours you can see the seeds have germinated well. If you want it longer, keep them for 8-12 hours more.

Method 2 : Making sprouts through a strainer and paper towel

Place the soaked beans in a strainer with a paper towel on it. Rest the strainer over a bowl. This bowl will collect the extra water. Cover it with a few paper towels on the top and spray water on top if it is dry. After 12-24 hours you can see the seeds have germinated well. If you want it longer, keep them for 8-12 hours more.

Method 3 : Making sprouts in Thermos

This process is a breeze and you will see a happy face while opening it. Soak, rinse, and drain the beans well. Once drained completely transfer to the thermos and close it. After 12-24 hours you can see the seeds have germinated well. If you want it longer, keep them for 8-12 hours more.

Are sprouts good for health?

Yes, it is loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are much easy to digest and boost the immune system. If you have a problem digesting legumes or grains you should try sprouts.

Can I eat sprouts raw?

Yes, you can. Mostly they are taken raw. Raw sprouts may contain harmful bacteria when you don’t do it in the right procedure. Homemade processes are not that harmful, because you know each step involved in making sprouts.

How can we cook sprouts?

Cooking sprouts lose some nutrients but you are still getting its benefits. You can cook by boiling, steaming, and stir fry in few drops of oil. While cooking we lose their crunchiness. So make sure you don’t cook longer. Just a few minutes will do wonders.

Ways to take sprouts in our diet

You can include in your salad, sandwiches, soups, and make a stir-fry with other vegetables. If you don’t like sprouts just throw few in your regular cooking while making curries or soups. You will not get the odd taste.

Recipe you can include

French lentil salad
Barley soup with beans and veggies

Are microgreens and sprouts the same?

No. They are younger than microgreens. Sprouts are eaten entirely with the whole seed but with microgreens, only stems and leaves are eaten. Microgreens have more nutritious value compared to sprouts. They have to be consumed within 3 days whereas microgreens take more than a week to grow.

How to tell if my sprouts are bad?

The few signs you can find your sprouts are spoiled or gone bad indicates

• Smell – it smells bad like pungent.
• Mold – If you find some white fuzzy layer on top.
• Sticky – is sticky while touching and sticks to each other.
• Taste – sour or soggy

If you find any of the following above, dispose them immediately.

Tips for making sprouts

• Always use fresh beans
• Use clean fresh water to soak the beans. If soaking for more than 8 hours rinse the beans and soak with fresh water again. Keep repeating for every 6 hours.
• Drain the water completely before you start germinating process.
• If using cloth always use a clean one.
• Beans need to remain moist throughout the sprouting process. If they are dry, it will kill the sprouting process. Keep spraying water evenly on the paper towel or cloth.
• Keep in a warm place. If you want to make the process quick, you can keep the oven light ON.
• If you want to grow longer then let them rest for 1 more day or few hours.
• Use it within 3-4 days.
• Store them in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated.