VCE: Sprouted Beans And Seeds

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Sprouted Beans And Seeds

 

Recipe By : Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison, page 325

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Info/Tips Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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Long one of the cliches of vegetarian cooking, sprouted beans and seeds

have virtues that can be enjoyed by all. They're good sources of vitamins,

they're easily digested, and they're a fresh, clean food that's available

at all times of the year. Anyone who has nosed around food shops in London

has seen those uplifting little packages of sprouted cress and mustard

seeds looking like miniature green lawns. They're tempting to take home

(or to a hotel room), and obviously many people do that. Happily, packaged

gardens of sprouted seeds are beginning to be seen here as well.

 

In addition to the most common mung bean and alfalfa sprouts, some unusual

varieties have begun appearing - fine delicate threads of sprouted radish,

leek, and basil seeds that taste vividly of the plants they would have

become; big, bold-looking sunflower sprouts that make a strong visual

impression in a salad; and an array of sprouted lentils, chickpeas, and

other legumes that are great in a stir-fry. Sprouted wheat berries are

sometimes added to wheat bread.

 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Whenever possible, try to buy sprouts that are openly

displayed in a refrigerated case, where air can circulate freely around

them. Tight plastic-wrapped sprouts spoil easily, but if it's all you have

to choose from, make sure they look fresh with no signs of browning or

spoiling.

 

HOW TO STORE: Keep sprouts in a loose plastic bag perforated with a few

holes so that water doesn't condense. Try to use them as soon as possible.

 

GROWING YOUR OWN: It's easy to make sprouts at home. Small seeds for

sprouting, like radish or basil, can be found at natural food stores, but

your own cupboard is probably full of things that can be sprouted-sunflower

seeds, chickpeas, whole wheat, lentils, mung beans, and arugula seeds saved

from your garden. All seeds sprout-but they do have to be whole. Split

peas won't sprout, nor will broken grains. Whatever you decide to sprout,

be sure to use seeds that are meant for consumption. Garden seeds are

often coated with fungicides, and these are not good to eat. Further,

avoid tomato, eggplant, lima beans, and fava beans since their seeds can be

toxic.

 

Soak a few tablespoons of seeds in water overnight.

 

The next day, pour off the soaking water, rinse them in fresh water until

the water runs clear, then drain. Transfer the seeds to a large jar, such

as a wide-mouthed quart or half-gallon jar. Place a piece of cheesecloth

over the top and fasten it with a rubber band. Gently tip out any excess

water (extra water will cause the seeds to spoil) then set the jar on its

side and set it on your counter. (Sprouting maven Jody Main says there's

no need to bury it in a dark cabinet.) Cover it with a cloth, leaving the

screen uncovered.

 

Rinse and drain the sprouts two to three times a day in normal weather,

more often if it's humid, so that they don't spoil. After each rinse, be

sure to thoroughly drain off the excess water. Continue until the seeds

have sprouted a tail two or three times as long as the seed. (In the case

of mung beans and sunflower seeds the sprouts will be two or more inches

long.) Most sprouts take about 3 days to achieve their desired length-a

few take longer, and some take less.

 

On the last day, take the cloth off and expose the sprouts to the light so

that the leaves become nice and green, then store them in the

refrigerator. To get the most from your efforts, try to use them as soon

after they're ready as possible, when they are most nutritious.

 

GARDEN SPROUTS: One summer I noticed a lot of very luxurious-looking

sprouts in my garden. They turned out to be sunflower seeds that had been

kicked aside by the sparrows. I clipped them at the base, gave them a

rinse, and used them as I would those cultivated indoors. Similarly, in

spring I have a carpet of self-sown arugula and amaranth sprouts, which I

either pluck or clip since they need to be thinned in any case. They add a

vibrant, piquant accent to an egg salad, a bowl of cottage cheese, or a

green salad. If you have a garden, be sure to check it for possibilities.

 

 

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