Indians traditionally always make sprouts at home. Healthy, crunchy, fresh and without plastic packaging. It is a good replacement for commercial sprouted beans!

My Ayurvedic Vaidya always used to tell me, sprouts that have just emerged, are chock-full with the best enzymes and B Vitamins needed for your body & nutrition. In India, it took 48 hours/ 2 days, in The Netherlands (cold coutries), it could take between 2-3 days max. I use Mung beans, Brown Lentils, Aduki beans, Indian chickpeas/ Chana and Black-eye peas to make my sprouts. Besides the nutrition, home-made sprouts are also cheaper than the packed ones, which come with entangled long shoots. Commercially packed ones look good, are tasty when fresh and are great as a garnish. Having said that they have a downside too. I find that the commercially sold sprouts are very limited in use, in salads or as decorative garnishes. Some of course do add a flavourful element to the dish. Often they rot very soon if you cannot finish them in your salads once the hermetically sealed packs are opened. Home-made sprouts come without plastic packaging can be eaten raw in salads, and also being firm, always be lightly steamed and converted into curries or added to vegetables. These sprouts can be stored for 2 or more days in a sealed box in your fridge without going slimy.

¼ cup beans will yield ½- ¾ cup of sprouts depending on the type of bean you choose. I wash the beans once, then soak them in a bowl with ample water at body temperature. Thus, not cold water from the tap. I do this before I go to bed.

In the morning I drain the water. Transfer the beans to a bowl into which they just about fill till the top of the bowl. Then put a plate on it for pressure, this helps it to sprout the best. Or, you can reserve a muslin/ cheesecloth to tie them in a bundle, put the bundle on a plate & cover it with a bowl.

Keep it in the kitchen cupboard or a warm place. Check after 48 hours. If the sprouts are too tiny, rinse the beans with body-temperature water again, and cover it as above, and store it away for another day. (If tied in a bundle, you need not rinse it). See the photos for reference of the size of sprouts & end result.

Two day sprouted Mung beans
Mung bean curried with coconut milk, chili & garlic.

Like me, you can get into a healthy routine, make your sprouts each week by this simple cost-efficient way! Give it a try and taste the fresh goodness in every mouthful.