Kitchen Gardening: Grow Your Own Sprouts
And growing them is pretty idiot proof. You need to keep things clean, but other than that it's easy to do.
Sprouts of any sort are packed with vitamins, minerals and protein.
There are no limits the the kinds of seeds you can sprout in your kitchen. The most popular sorts are mung beans, alfalfa, broccoli and radish. Mostly, these are mild but flavorful. They are generally what you think of when you think of bean sprouts (though they are not all beans).
Other seeds that are good to grow in your kitchen include clover (for a tangy taste), chives (for a more oniony flavor), garbanzo (for a hearty flavor), turnip (for a very strong flavor), rye (for a nuttier flavor), radish (for a peppery flavor), kale (for a strong taste).
You can eat the sprouts, seeds and all right from the sprouting jar just as soon as they reach the level of maturity that you want. Don't let them go too long or they will begin to smell a little musty and they won't be good to eat then.
WARNING: The Food and Drug Administration warns that pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system should cook sprouts before eating them as there is the possibility that bacteria could grow in the humid environment in which the seeds sprout.
A sanitary sprouting environment will reduce the chance of food-borne illnesses.
The sprouts are just as nutritious as the plants they would become if allowed to mature, but they bring a different texture and feel to the dishes to which they are added. if you don't want to eat the spouts raw, they can certainly be sauteed, stir fried or dry cooked for a different taste and texture as well.
Don't over cook sprouts, though. More than half a minute in the pan will render them mushy and not very appetizing.
To set up your kitchen garden, you just need three things:
- Seeds
- A wide mouth mason jar
- Cheesecloth and a rubber band or tightly woven fiberglass screen and a ring
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| Ring, screen and jar |
You can also buy pre-assembled sprouting jars, sprouting trays, or even an electric sprouter that controls the time, temperature and watering schedule. The electric model is said to shorten the sprouting cycle to two-and-a-half days.
I have never tried the electric model, but I have tried the trays and the pre-assembled jar and have found that I like to put my own jars together. I feel the home assembled version is easiest to clean thoroughly.
Getting from seed to edible sprout takes a few steps. But it is not at all labor intensive.
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| Assembled |
- You need to wash your jar really well with soap and hot water. Some people will boil the jar or wash it on the sterilizing setting in the dishwasher.
- When it's clean, put in 2 tablespoons of seeds in the bottom of the jar and fill it with cool water.
- Leave them to soak for about 12 hours.
- Either put a piece of cheese cloth over the mouth of the jar and secure it with a rubber band or replace the lid with the fiberglass screen tightened on with the ring.
- After that, drain the jar completely (shake it...it's OK...that will break up the seed covering a bit). Put the jar out of direct sunlight, in a well-ventilated spot.
- Rinse the seeds at least twice a day to keep them from drying out.
- Most seeds will sprout in 3-5 days. Sprouts taste different at different stages of sprouting. Taste them along the way.
- When they are at the stage you want them, pull them out and put them in a colander to dry for a few hours. Pat them dry with a towel before you put them in the refrigerator.
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