Do you ever wish you had fresh homegrown salad ingredients in the middle of winter or in summer when it's too hot for most veggies in the garden? Well, you can have them and it's easy. Almost any edible seed can be sprouted. Popular and easy ones include mung beans, fenugreek, alfalfa, lentil, radish and grains. Most people get their seeds at a health food store where they have been produced especially for sprouting. If you buy them elsewhere, be sure they have not been treated with fungicide or any other poison, or irradiated, which kills the seed. Many dried beans sold in supermarkets have been irradiated to prevent spoilage. Fresh seed germinates best. Seed will not germinate well at temperatures above 80 degrees F. Sprouts will grow in darkness or light, but placing them in light once the leaves appear will encourage the development of chlorophyll.
What equipment do you need? (1) a quart jar, (2) a circle of tulle or cheesecloth approximately 6 inches in diameter to cover the mouth and neck of the jar, (3) a rubber band to hold the tulle in place.
The method:
- Soak the seeds overnight. Start with about 1/4 cup of the larger seeds like mung beans or about 1 Tablespoon of small seeds like alfalfa. Put the seeds in the jar and fill about half full with water. Seeds will increase in size as they absorb water. Most seeds are happy with cool water, but some hard seeds like fenugreek and mung beans respond best to lukewarm water. I use filtered water because the seeds will be absorbing quite a lot. Put the mesh cloth over the jar and secure with rubber band. Use a double mesh cloth for fine seeds. Let stand for 8 to 12 hours.
- Drain off the soak water. Add fresh water, swirl, and drain off rinse water.
- Rinse and drain every morning and evening. Seeds must not stand in water after the initial soak. Fill and drain through the mesh. It's really easy and the mesh keeps in just the right amount of moisture so the seeds don't dry out.
Sprouts will usually be ready in 4 to 6 days, depending on the temperature and how big you like your sprouts. Sprouts of grains are ready when they are about 1/2 inch long; they get tough if allowed to grow bigger.
Sprouts are marvelous and crunchy in salads, and, also, great on sandwiches or sprinkled on top of soups. They are better raw than cooked, so add to hot soup after the soup is off the heat and in the bowl.
Kathy Nelte, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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