BASIC SPROUTING TECHNIQUES

BASIC SPROUTING TECHNIQUES
Sprouting can be done in a jar, in a tray, on a towel,
in a clay saucer, or in a thin layer of soil. Each method
works best for certain kinds of seeds, as you'll see
from the following descriptions.
Although the basic steps are quite similar from
one method to the next, the times and temperatures
for sprouting will vary due to temperature and
humidity variations in your home. That means you've
got to check sprouts frequently. After your first
couple of batches, you'll have a good idea how long it
takes to produce the flavor you prefer in sprouts.
Many sprouters also like to save the water drained
from sprouts for use in soups or sauces, or for
watering houseplants.
Jar sprouting
This method works best for small seeds, such as
alfalfa, clover or radish.
1. Rinse the seeds in lukewarm water.
2. Put the seeds in a jar, then add 3 times as
much water as you have sprouts. Cover with a
plastic mesh lid, cheesecloth, or nylon net,
then fasten with a rubber band or canning jarscrew
band. (You won't need to remove the
mesh covering until the sprouts are ready to
harvest.) Set aside and soak for the time
given in the recipe.
3. At the end of the soaking time, drain off the
water (through the mesh covering).
4. Rinse the seeds with lukewarm water and
drain.
5. Set the jar in a warm (60°F), dark place, at an
angle so that the sprouts can drain.
6. Rinse and drain the sprouts twice a day, or as
the recipe directs. (In hot, dry weather, rinse
them 3 to 4 times a day.) Turn the jar gently as
you rinse and drain so that the sprouts won't
break off. If the weather or your kitchen is
very humid, move the sprouts to a dry place,
such as near the stove or wrapped in a towel
(to keep out light) near a sunny window. Too
much humidity will prevent sprouting.
Temperatures above 80°F can also prevent
sprouting.
7. On about the fourth day, move the jar of
sprouts into the sunlight so that chlorophyll can
develop and turn the leaves green. Continue
to rinse and drain.
8. Move the sprouts from the jar to a strainer,
and rinse well to remove the hulls, if desired.
Hulls can shorten storage life of sprouts, but
they also add flavor.
9. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
10. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.
Tray sprouting
This method works best for seeds such as mung
bean, chia, and lettuce.
1. Rinse the seeds in lukewarm water.
2. Put the seeds in a jar, then add 3 times as
much water as you have sprouts. Cover with a
plastic mesh lid, cheesecloth or nylon net,
then fasten with a rubber band or canning jar
screw band. Set aside and soak for the time
given in the recipe.
3. At the end of the soaking time, rinse the
seeds and spread in a tray. (The tray can be a
wooden box with a plastic, nylon, or wire
mesh bottom, or a perforated plastic tray.)
4. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and then
with newspaper or another light-blocking
cover. Keep one end of the tray bottom
propped up so the sprouts can drain. Set the
tray in warm (70°F), dark place.
5. Rinse and drain sprouts twice a day. (In hot,
dry weather, rinse them 3 or 4 times a day.)
Rinse gently (so the sprouts won't break)
under a faucet (not full-force), the sprinkler
attachment of your sink, or by lowering the
tray slightly into a sink of lukewarm water.
Cover the tray again after each rinsing.
6. On about the fourth day, move the tray of
sprouts into sunlight so chlorophyll can
develop and turn the leaves green. Continue
to rinse and drain.
7. Move the sprouts from the tray to a strainer,
and rinse well to remove the hulls, if desired.
Hulls can shorten storage life of sprouts, but
they also add flavor.
8. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
9. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.

Sprouting

Sprouting is one of the easiest ways to grow
fresh vegetables for e a t i n g s both in and out of
season. While mung bean sprouts have long been
familiar in Chinese cooking, alfalfa and other sprouts
have become equally well-known in recent years.
More and more ingenious and health-conscious
cooks are adding a variety of sprouts to salads,
sandwiches, soups, and other dishes — for both the
crunch and the nutrition. Sprouts are bursting with
nutrients, and certain vitamins even increase when
seeds are sprouted — up to 600 percent.
And sprouts are economical, too — from a single
pound of seeds, you can produce from six to eight
pounds of sprouts. All you have to do is add a little
moisture and a little warmth to the seeds, set them in a
dark place, then sit back and watch your garden
grow in just a few day's time.
It's fun to have several jars of sprouts going at
once, so you'll always have variety as well as a good
supply. For example, put a couple of tablespoons of
alfalfa seeds in one jar, a cup of wheat or rye berries in
another, and a half cup or so of lentils in a third jar.
Alfalfa takes about five days to reach just the right
stage for eating, but your wheat sprouts will be
ready by the end of the second day. It's a fast, easy,
and very rewarding way to enjoy vegetables — both
the ones you grow yourself and the ones you don't.
BASIC SPROUTING EQUIPMENT
All you need to sprout seeds is a jar, some
cheesecloth, plastic mesh, or plastic screen to cover
the jar, and a rubber band to hold it in place. But
you can also sprout seeds on a tray, on damp towels, in
a clay flowerpot saucer, or in a thin layer of soil. You
may also want to try the ready-made sprouters that are
available in large department stores and health
food stores. For example, you can buy mesh trays or
sprouting lids made of plastic mesh that fit on
standard one-quart canning jars. It's a good idea to try
various methods to find ones that are most
convenient and work best for you.
BASIC INGREDIENTS
You can sprout all kinds of seeds, legumes, and
grains. Try wheat, rye, alfalfa, mung beans, chick peas,
soybeans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or any of
the other sprouting seeds, grains, and vegetables
suggested in "Directions for Sprouting," later in
this chapter. Only one thing is essential — when
buying seeds for sprouting, always check to be sure
you're getting live, untreated seed. Seeds that are
intended to grow crops are specially treated to
make them resistant to insects and plant
diseases — and you shouldn't eat sprouts started
from these chemically treated seeds.
You also can't sprout seeds that have been heattreated,
because even relatively low temperatures kill
the seeds, leaving them edible but no longer
capable of growth. For this reason, if you're growing
beans, peas, or other vegetables for sprouting, be
sure to use the drying method recommended for this
purpose. Seeds dried by blanching, chilling, and
heating will not sprout.
The only other ingredient you'll need for
sprouting is water. Some experts recommend that you
let city water (which may be high in chlorine) sit for
a day or two before you use it, in order to let the
chlorine dissipate into the air. When sprouting
seeds, use lukewarm or room-temperature water,
rather than cold or hot.